Churches CAN Reduce the Risk of Sexual Abuse
by Debbie Von Bahrain Vol. IX, No. 10, Nov/Dec 1996
In its own way, it is like cancer. It can strike children from every social background, race, and age. And child sexual abuse is indiscriminate not only in victims, but in where it happens. Sadly, child sexual abuse occurs most frequently in settings where children and youth trust adults completely -- in homes, schools, camps, park programs, athletic programs. It also takes place in churches.
But: "The evidence is now clear that this terrible risk can be all but eliminated with screening," said Richard Hammar, a Springfield, Mo., attorney and author of Reducing the Risk of Child Sexual Abuse in Your Church. 'Churches can all but eliminate the risk of litigation if they follow certain procedures," said Hammar, who also authors the Southern Baptist Annuity Board's yearly tax guide.
In his book, Hammar addresses four major areas in which policies and procedures must be established to provide safeguards against child sexual abuse. These areas are worker selection, worker supervision, reporting obligations, and response to allegations. Hammar recommends ALL paid church employees undergo a thorough screening process as part of the job application procedure. The procedure should consist of an employment application, a screening form, a personal interview, reference checks, and completion of a criminal records check authorization form, when deemed appropriate.
The screening form should ask the following questions:
-- The applicant's name. Identity should be confirmed by a driver's license or other photographic identification.
-- A full explanation of any prior criminal convictions for sexual abuse, molestation, or related crimes.
--The area of youth work the applicant is interested in.
--Any training or education in youth-related work.
--A description of church membership over the past five years.
--A description of church volunteer work over the past five years.
--A description of any youth work in churches or other organizations over the past five years.
-- Names and addresses of [at least] two references.
People applying for higher risk positions -- boys' groups, camps, overnight or largely unsupervised activities involving children or youth -- should be interviewed by a responsible staff member trained to screen children and youth workers.
Additionally, Hammar recommends screening be used for all workers, both paid and volunteer, and volunteer workers be permitted to work with children or youth only after they have been members of the church for a specified time, perhaps six months.
Adults who were convicted of either child sexual abuse or physical abuse should not work with children in a volunteer capacity. [Not in ANY capacity. TCP] Adult survivors of child abuse must meet with a pastor before working with children.
Current conservative estimates are that from 500,000 to over 1.5 million [children] are sexually abused each year in this country. Many church leaders assume child molesters are typically strangers, a stereotype that can lull a church into falsely thinking it is safe.
"Churches need to be concerned about strangers," Hammar said, "but from my experience, the majority of cases have been people associated with the church for a long time. It comes as an utter shock."
Statistics show that strangers account for less than 20 percent of abusers. Churches should be aware of the following facts:
--Over 80 percent of the time, the abuser is someone known to the victim.
--Most abuse takes place within the context of an ongoing relationship.
--The usual offender is 20-30 years old.
--Twenty percent of sex offenders begin their activity before the age of 18.
--Child abusers often are married and have children.
"If abuse occurs in your church, a respected member will most likely be the molester," Hammar writes in his book. "Emphasis on 'stranger danger' will leave your church ill prepared. While it's uncomfortable even to consider this, the most likely assailants include Sunday School teachers, religious educators, nursery or preschool workers, teachers in a church-operated school, camp counselors, scout leaders, 'concerned' adults who volunteer to transport children to church, and clergy."
Supervision policies Hammar recommends include adopting a "two-adult" rule for any church activity involving children or youth, obtaining parental permission for times when a worker would be in an unsupervised situation with their child, and discussing suspicious behavior immediately. "Adequately screen all people working with children, then adequately supervise those workers once you begin using them," he said.
Church leaders also should develop a line of reporting to be followed in each and every case of suspected abuse -- and knowing the state rules regarding reporting abuse to the proper authorities is crucial. When a church has a doubt about whether it should report, it would do well to remember studies suggest a pedophile may have hundreds of victims over the course of a lifetime. The church's duty is to protect other innocent victims, so Hammar recommends "when in doubt, report."
Finally, because an accusation of child sexual abuse can occur in any church, a strategy must be in place for response to any allegations.
"If you have an allegation of molestation, the most important thing you can do is not to deny, or minimize, or blame the victim," Hammar said. "Take all allegations seriously. Let the family know you are going to investigate. You don't want them to feel they have to go to court to have their story heard. You want to act as Christ would in the same situation."
Abuse in a church setting is hard enough to deal with on its own, and Hammar said the wrong response from a church can make the situation even worse. 'Hardly a day goes by that I don't talk to a church about this issue," he said. "It is devastating for the church, for the victim, and for the parents.
"Churches face loss of membership and media publicity. Ninety-nine percent of the time, churches deny the situation, shun the family, and erect walls. That is the typical church response. If you want to end up in court, you can't take a better course of action."
Because of the strong pastor-member bond, many people still think the problem does not exist. A minister holds a unique position of power, because they are the parishioners' link to God. They believe the minister would not do anything to harm them. But the harm inflicted upon children is often reflected in the eyes of grown men who now have children of their own. [BP]
[Editorial Comment: This is potentially a problem for every church. Notice that Hammar’s recommendations boil down to simple good sense, good judgment, and being prepared in advance for a tragic event that may not but could happen. Just a couple of suggestions:
1. Hammar says in the hiring process a candidate previously convicted of child sexual abuse should be required to give explanations. I find it incomprehensible that any organization, church or secular, would hire someone to work with children who had been convicted of such a crime. To do so would clearly open the group to the possibility of an incident and make the church extremely vulnerable to a lawsuit.
2. The two-adult rule is eminently sensible, a simple but highly effective precaution.
3. On the question whether to report or not, narrow self-interest argues not to report, but Christian responsibility to others requires the report be made. And in the broad view, even the self-interest of the church mandates that full reports and thorough, objective investigations be made. Once an abuse charge is raised, the safest thing for the church to do is be as open and forthcoming as possible, trying conscientiously to satisfy the questions of the family as well as those of the responsible church leadership.
4. If you ignore the possibility of the problem, it will not go away. In fact, it will be that much more likely to end up in your lap. The Lord commands us to be innocent as doves, yes, but also as wise as serpents. Be wise. Be prepared.
5. Like most problems, this one is best dealt with by thinking it through calmly in advance. Take precautionary steps in hiring (or approving volunteers), in supervision, and decide calmly in advance how you will respond to a charge if it arises. TCP]