Law Places New Mandates on Reporting Child Sex Abuse

By Winston Jones
The Times-Georgian
June 22, 2012

http://www.times-georgian.com/view/full_story/19069019/article-Law-places-new-mandates-on-reporting-child-sex-abuse?instance=TG_home_story

Members of the clergy, volunteers and nurses' aides are among those added to the list of people required to report suspected child abuse under provisions of a new Georgia law that becomes effective July 1.

These additions are a part of House Bill 1176, known as the Criminal Justice Reform Act, which passed both the state House and Senate unanimously during the 2012 General Assembly session and was signed into law by Gov. Nathan Deal.

These changes come on the heels of the well-publicized child sexual abuse trial of former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. The jury Thursday began deliberations on the case, which charges Sandusky with abusing 10 young boys over a period of 15 years. Some university personnel close to the case have been criticized for not being more forthcoming in reporting the suspected abuse.

"Right now, too many people think that child sexual abuse is not their problem," said Emily Cole, coordinator of the West Georgia Darkness to Light training program to prevent child sexual abuse. "This law is saying that we're all responsible and have to step up to the plate and report any suspected child abuse."

Cole said the goal of her organization is to get all the community trained and to help organizations create policies on handling and reporting child sexual abuse suspicions.

"People should watch our website for scheduled classes or call us, and we'll schedule a class specifically for your organization," she said.

Dannielle Thomas, spokesperson for the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, said the new law will have a tremendous impact on all faith-based and youth-serving organizations in the state.

"For a volunteer, making a report means that they must report to the designated person in that organization, any suspicion, accusation or disclosure of abuse," Thomas said. "Organizations should have this clearly stated in their policy and procedure documents. The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy would add that any volunteer who makes a verbal report should also follow up with a written report."

An exception to the law as it applies to clergy is that a faith leader who learns of abuse through a confidential confession is not mandated to report. However, if the clergy hears from a third party about abuse, they are mandated to report the abuse, even if it relates to abuse first learned in a confession.

West Georgia Darkness to Light held its first Stewards of Children training program in March of 2009 at Carrollton Presbyterian Church, training 28 people through an initiative of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta. The Stewards of Children is the only nationally recognized, evidence-based curriculum to train adults to recognize and respond to child sexual abuse, according to Cole.

The group has a theory that when 5 percent of the population changes its behavior, a cultural shift is created and momentum builds to change society's values. Cole said that means her group has a goal to train at least 4,145 adults in the Stewards of Children program.

She said the group now has 13 trained facilitators who can teach courses in Carroll, Haralson and Heard counties.

"The workbook for the course costs $10," she said. "However, due to grant funding, we currently have enough workbooks on hand to allow us to provide free training."

More information about the program is available online at www.westgapartnerstoprevent.com, or by calling Cole at 770-328-4197. Georgia Center for Child Advocacy's website is www.georgiacenterforchildadvocacy.org.