Saskatoon Catholic Churches Implement Sex Abuse Prevention Policy

CBC News
March 11, 2013

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/03/11/sk-saskatoon-churches-introduce-abuse-policy-1303.html

d to protect vulnerable people from sexual assault.

Saskatoon's Catholic churches will be making some changes in the next few months in order to prevent sexual abuse or misconduct.

The new policy, which was approved by the Saskatoon diocese last year and is being implemented over the next few months, means there'll be fewer cases where vulnerable people will be left alone with a single priest, employee or volunteer.

For example, visits with children, the elderly, and people with mental and physical disabilities will be done in pairs.

The "Covenant of Care and Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Protocol" is meant to protect vulnerable people from sexual assault or misconduct but also to protect people from false accusations.

The policy includes an emphasis on transparency and a commitment to report and investigate complaints, according to Blake Sittler, who is co-ordinator of care for the diocese.

"We need to educate people about how to spot signs of abuse [or] grooming patterns that might be happening," Sittler said.

"We need to look at our organization and say 'If I was a pedophile, if I was someone coming in here to abuse ... what would I take advantage of?'"

The changes, will put the Catholic church in line with other organizations that deal with youths and other vulnerable people, he said.