BishopAccountability.org
	Sc Catholic Abuse Policy Deals with Social Media NECN December 12, 2011 http://www.necn.com/12/12/11/SC-Catholic-abuse-policy-deals-with-soci/landing_scitech.html?&apID=8d96909e8bc84783bed7f13f6329ad39 CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, keeping up with technology as it revises its policy for dealing with sexual abuse of children, is prohibiting any church worker from using personal email to contact a child. The policy also prohibits workers from playing online games with minors late at night, asks them to avoid using personal cell phones to contact children and not be accessible to minors on an on-call basis. The new rules for the statewide diocese are part of the updated abuse policy signed by Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone on Monday. The document was last updated in 2003. "We have become a very technologically advanced society," the bishop said. "When the policy was written, these technological possibilities didn't exist. However, there are all kinds of possibilities for children to be hurt through the use of technology." The 69-page document includes new rules for social media and prohibits church workers from using them to have personal communications with children and from friending them on Facebook. It also says that in each parish, "at least two adults must regularly monitor church-sponsored internet content and interactions." The policy suggests appropriate content in communications to children includes information on upcoming activities, calendars of events, spiritual links and prayer resources. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops did not immediately respond to an inquiry from The Associated Press to determine how common such policies are in diocesan abuse policies. Four years ago, the Diocese of Charleston spent $7.5 million to settle claims brought by those who said they suffered abuse at the hands of priests between the 1960s and the early 1980s. The 123 claims also included spouses and family members. Since the abuse policy was last updated eight years ago, there have been no new cases of children alleging abuse during that period, the bishop said. There are about 195,000 Catholics in South Carolina, roughly 4 percent of the state's population. Guglielmone said the new policy takes effect next April so there can be workshops to train workers and volunteers on the rules. The bishop said the policy was put together in consultation with those involved in youth ministries and those who are experts in the new technology. The policy requires background screening of church workers and volunteers. While state law lists a specific group of people who are required to report to civil authorities any allegation of sexual abuse, the church policy is that all church workers are considered mandatory reporters. "In the past few weeks and months looking at Penn State, looking at Syracuse University and looking right here with the ReVille case right in our own backyard, this problem of sexual abuse is a problem that is societal and very much with us," Guglielmone said. Guglielmone was referring to the case of Louis ReVille, who is charged with abusing nine youngsters while a teacher and coach in Charleston area schools, recreation programs and churches. At Penn State, former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is accused of assaulting children over a 15-year span. And at Syracuse, two former ball boys accused former assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine of molesting them in the 1980s. Fine has not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.