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Creating a Safe Environment Through Knowledge and Action

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Child verbalizes abuse. Fear of going home/punishment. Unusually neat ... Child sexual abuse is not a result of a sudden impulse, but is usually planned ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Creating a Safe Environment Through Knowledge and Action


1
Creating a Safe Environment Through Knowledge and
Action
  • Designed and Developed by
  • Pat Earley, Coordinator of Religious Education,
    St. Francis Xavier Parish, Vincennes, Indiana
  • Mary Jo Sampson, Director of Religious Education,
    St. John the Baptist Parish, Vincennes, Indiana

2
What is Child Abuse?
  • The physical or mental injury, sexual abuse,
    exploitation, negligent treatment or maltreatment
    of a child under the age of 18 (except in the
    case of sexual abuse, where age is specified by
    the child protection law of the State) by a
    person who is responsible for the childs welfare.

3
Physical Abuse Adult inflicts or allows
infliction of physical injury by other than
accidental means
  • Physical Indicators
  • Bruises
  • Lacerations
  • Welts, lumps, bumps
  • Unexplained fractures
  • Burns-cigarette, immersion
  • Emotional Indicators
  • Child verbalizes abuse
  • Fear of going home/punishment
  • Unusually neat
  • Overly mature
  • withdrawn

4
Characteristics of Abusers
  • Seems unconcerned about the child.
  • Sees the child as bad, evil, a monster, or
    witch.
  • Offers illogical, unconvincing, contradictory
    explanations or have no explanation of the
    childs injury.
  • Attempts to conceal the childs injury or to
    protect the identity of the person responsible.
  • Routinely employs harsh, unreasonable discipline
    which is inappropriate to the childs age,
    transgression, and condition.
  • Were often abused as children.
  • Were expected to meet high demands of their
    parents.
  • Were unable to depend on their parents for love
    and nurturing.
  • Cannot provide emotionally for themselves as
    adults.
  • Expect their children to fill their emotional
    void.
  • Have poor impulse control.
  • Expect rejection.
  • Have low self-esteem.
  • Are emotionally immature.
  • Are isolated, have no support system.

5
When discipline becomes Abusive
  • A physical injury which is the result of
    discipline and is non-accidental

6
Disciplinary Physical Abuse includes but is not
limited to
  • Striking with a hand, fist, or instrument
  • Throwing
  • Shaking
  • Burning
  • Suffocating
  • Drowning

7
Normal and Suspicious Bruising
8
Shaken Baby Syndrome
  • Describes serious injuries that can occur when an
    infant or toddler is severely or violently
    shaken. SBS may result in
  • Blindness or eye damage
  • Delay in normal development
  • Seizures
  • Damage to spinal cord (paralysis)
  • Brain damage
  • Death

9
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
  • Is a term that is used to describe a condition in
    which the childs mother fabricates illnesses in
    the child in order to get attention. This
    condition often involves chronic and recurrent
    physical problems that do not respond to
    treatment. When the child is hospitalized the
    abusing parent may attempt to sabotage medical
    treatment.

10
What is Neglect?
  • Child Neglect is the Chronic Failure to meet
    the basic needs of a child in regards to
  • Food
  • Clothing
  • Shelter
  • Medical Care
  • Education
  • Supervision

11
Recognizing Neglect
  • Physical Indicators
  • Lack of supervision
  • Lack of adequate clothing and hygiene
  • Lack of medical or dental care
  • Lack of adequate nutrition
  • Behavioral Indicators
  • Development lags
  • Unresponsiveness
  • Constant fatigue
  • Apathetic
  • Substance abuse
  • Abandonment
  • Begging
  • School absences
  • Flat bald spot on infants head
  • Consistent hunger
  • Dirty, smelly
  • Torn, dirty or inappropriate clothing
  • Underweight

12
Characteristics of Neglectful Adults
  • May have a chaotic home life.
  • May live in unsafe conditions (no food garbage
    and excrement in living areas exposed wiring
    drugs and poisons kept within the reach of
    children).
  • May abuse drugs or alcohol.
  • May be mentally retarded, have low IQ or have a
    flat personality.

13
Characteristics of Neglectful Adults Continued
  • May be motivated and employed, but unable to find
    or afford child care.
  • Generally have not experienced success.
  • Had emotional needs which were not met by
    parents.
  • Have low self-esteem.
  • Have little motivation or skills to effect
    changes in their lives.
  • Tend to be passive.

14
Emotional Abuse
  • Mental/Emotional harm inflicted by a constant
    pattern of verbal harassment, threats, and
    systematic destruction of a childs self-esteem.

15
Emotional Abuse Mental/emotional harm inflicted
by verbal harassment, threats, and systematic
destruction of childs self esteem
  • Behavioral Indicators
  • Hyperactivity
  • Severely withdrawn
  • Fire setting
  • Psychosomatic illness/hypochondria
  • Overly submissive/apathetic
  • Unable to make decisions
  • Obesity
  • Behavioral Indicators
  • Destructive
  • Daydreams/prefers fantasy over reality
  • Sado masochistic behaviors toward animals and
    other children
  • Speech disorders (stammers/stutters)
  • Habits (head banging/hair pulling/rocking)

16
Recognizing Child Emotional Maltreatment
  • Physical Indicators
  • Eating disorders
  • Elimination problems
  • Speech disorders
  • Behavioral Indicators
  • Habit disorders
  • Poor relationships
  • Behavioral extremes
  • Sleep problems
  • Sadistic, masochistic
  • Developmental lags
  • Apathetic
  • Suicidal
  • Withdrawal
  • Anxiety
  • Fears

17
Characteristics of Emotional Abusers
  • Belittling/criticizing
  • Little or no interest in child
  • Threatening child or childs possessions
  • Cutting off child from normal social expression
  • Teaching deviant patterns of behavior

18
Sexual Abuse
  • Utilization of a child for sexual gratification
    by an adult or older child in which the child is
    being used for the sexual stimulation of the
    adult or older child.

19
Sexual Abuse Utilizing a child for sexual
gratification by an adult (or older child in a
position of power) or permitting another person
to utilize a child for sexual gratification
  • Behavioral Indicators
  • Seductive behavior
  • Artwork depicts sexual themes
  • Self destructive behavior (suicide, cutting)
  • Sleep disorders
  • Running away
  • Prostitution
  • Physical Indicators
  • Any venereal disease
  • Pregnancy
  • Foreign matter in genitals
  • Bruised or dilated genitals
  • Recurrent urinary tract infection
  • Difficulty /painful walking

20
Looks Are Deceiving
There are 10 psychological deceptions used by
predators on the internet, over the phone or
face to face.
Good Knight Organization
Child Sexual Predators can be anyone. Look for
the deceptions not the stranger.
21
Criminal Predators Definition
  • The criminal predator is any individual, man,
    woman or child who victimizes, plunders, or
    destroys, especially for one's own gain.
  • Criminal predators gain the trust of their
    intended victims by using one or a combination of
    ten basic psychological deceptions.
  • These deceptions have successfully been used on
    the internet, telephone and face to face to
    manipulate innocent children and adults into
    abusive situations, gangs, drug use and crime and
    violence.
  • SOLUTIONteach everyone these ten basic
    deceptions and you expose the modus operandi of
    all predators.
  • Good Knight Organization

22
Characteristics of Sex Abusers
  • Have low self-esteem.
  • Had emotional needs which were not met by their
    parents.
  • Have inadequate coping skills.
  • May have experienced the loss of their spouse
    through death or divorce.
  • May be experiencing overcrowding of their homes.
  • May have marital problems causing one spouse to
    seek physical affection from a child rather than
    the other spouse.
  • May abuse alcohol or drugs.
  • Lack social and emotional contacts outside the
    family.
  • Are geographically isolated.
  • Have cultural standards which determine the
    degree of acceptable body contact.
  • Good Knight Organization

23
Understanding Predator Psychology
  • Child sexual offenders try to control their
    victims through the following psychological
    deceptions Authority, Bribes, Crisis, Danger,
    Ego, False Caring, Games, Help, Idol, Jobs.
  • Child sexual abuse is not a result of a sudden
    impulse, but is usually planned - this provides
    an opportunity for intervention and education.
  • Predators seek opportunity and vulnerability. An
    unaware child is an easy target.
  • Good Knight Organization

24
U.S. Dept. of Justice Statistics
  • 7 out of 10 girls and 3 out of 7 boys will be
    victimized before they reach age 18
  • 551,000 sexual offenders have been released and
    are registered throughout America.
  • Only 10 of sexual offenders are ever caught and
    convicted.
  • 90 of sexual offenders are never caught which
    means that over 7 million avoid detection and are
    seeking unaware victims.
  • Two out three violent sex offenders in jail
    victimized someone under 18 years of age
  • 44 of all rape victims are under 18 years of age
  • Within 3 years of release, 8 of rapists are
    re-arrested for rape and 27 re-arrested for
    another violent offense
  • Crimes against children have gone up 444 since
    1986
  • Good Knight Organization

25
Victim/Suspect Relationships
26
EDUCATING CHILDRENAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
Recommendation

Good Knight Organization
27
EDUCATING CHILDRENAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
Recommendation

Good Knight Organization
28
EDUCATING CHILDRENAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
Recommendation

Good Knight Organization
29
EDUCATING CHILDRENAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
Recommendation

Good Knight Organization
30
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
  • Teach all children the Good Knight ABCs of
    Protection and that anyone can be a stranger.
    Even someone you know.
  • Stranger judge a person by his/her behavior,
    not their appearance.
  • Discourage secrets.
  • Good touch, bad touch, no touch where a bathing
    suit covers.
  • We cant be with our children 24/7 but what we
    teach kids will protect them forever.

Good Knight Organization
31
Develop a Safety Plan
  • Question your children about activities that
    occur when you are not present
  • Its OK to say NO
  • Talk to your children everyday and keep the lines
    of communication open
  • Be suspicious of unusually attentive adults
  • If something does not seem right about a
    situation - trust your instincts

Good Knight Organization
32
Develop a Safety Plan
  • Screen sitters, childcare providers, and
    acquaintances
  • Understand the statistics and use them to make
    good decisions regarding family safety
  • Use all tools available registry website for
    neighborhood awareness and the Good Knight Film
    reviewed together as a family every 6 months

Good Knight Organization
33
If Abuse Occurs
  • Face the issue
  • Take charge of the situation
  • Discuss the problem with your pediatrician who
    can provide support and counseling
  • Report abuse to your local child protection
    service agency

Good Knight Organization
34
Resources
  • All information in this presentation was provided
    by the Evansville Diocese and information
    provided by the Good Knight Organization.

35
Catholic Diocese of Evansville
  • Safe Environment Program
  • Framework For Youth Protection
  • Catechist Training Program

36
Vision Statement
  • Youth are to be recognized and valued by all as
    true gifts from God.
  • Education and training to recognize the signs of
    violation of children and young people shall be
    provided to all paid staff members, volunteers
    engaged in ministry to and for children, and
    parents.
  • Education shall be provided for children about
    the potential for abuse, especially sexual abuse,
    and ways to respond should they be victims of it.

37
  • Paid staff members and volunteers who have
    regular contact with children in the course of
    their work shall be evaluated so as to determine
    their suitability for association with children
    and young people.

38
  • Paid staff members and volunteers shall accept
    responsibility to report immediately any
    suspected acts of abuse of children and young
    people in their charge to appropriate civil and
    church authorities without concern for
    retribution from the accused or
    employers/institutions in whose name they
    minister.

39
  • The expectation is that all who are willing to
    engage in ministry to children and young people
    as representatives of the Catholic Diocese of
    Evansville are also willing to agree to
    background checks and educational programs
    designed to stem this heinous crime against
    children and young people.

40
  • The Catholic Diocese of Evansville will expend
    resources, both in personnel and finances,
    necessary to fulfill this vision and to maintain
    such programs appropriate to accomplish this
    vision.

41
  • Primary components of a framework to accomplish
    this task include the items listed below. At the
    outset, we recognize that we are on a difficult
    and ambitious journey, hence this is a living
    document.
  • Diocesan Policies
  • Best Practices for Adults working with children
    and youth
  • Directives for supervisors engaged in ministry to
    children and young people

42
  • Curriculum and resources for education on
    personal safety for children, young people,
    families and ministers
  • Criminal background checks on all paid staff and
    volunteers who have regular contact with children
    or youth, for which the parish/institution pays
    the fee.

43
Report and Inform
  • In the event of al allegation of sexual abuse of
    a minor (a person under 18) by diocesan
    personnel, report the allegation to authorities
    and inform the Victims Assistance Coordinator for
    the Diocese.
  • Toll free (866) 200-3004
  • Local (812) 490-9565

44
Best Practices for Adults Who Work With Youth
45
Two-Deep Leadership
  • Two approved adult leaders or one approved
    leader and a parent of a participant, both of
    whom must be 21 years of age or older, are
    required for all parish approved youth
    activities. The parish is responsible ensuring
    that sufficient leadership is provided for all
    activities.
  • Approved means that the Pastor knows the person
    and approves him or her AND the person has
    submitted to a criminal history background check.

46
No one-on-one contact
  • One-on-one contact between adults and youth is
    not permitted. In the rare situations that
    require personal conferences, the meeting is to
    be conducted in view of other adults and youths.

47
Note
  • Professional Mental Health Counselors, who are
    required to follow the Ethical Code of their
    professional discipline, State licensing
    requirements, and State legislation regulating
    professional conduct, may conduct one-on-one
    private counseling.

48
  • The term professional mental health counselor,
    as used herein, means a person with a masters
    degree in a recognized mental health discipline,
    who is licensed or supervised by a licensed
    professional, and is employed by Catholic
    Charities of the Diocese of Evansville or is
    officially approved by the Catholic Education
    Office to provide services on school premises.

49
Respect of privacy
  • Adult leaders must respect the privacy of youth
    and intrude only to the extent that health and
    safety require. Adults must protect their own
    privacy in similar situations.

50
Separate accommodations
  • When staying overnight, no youth is permitted to
    sleep in the room of an adult other than his or
    her own parent or guardian.

51
Proper preparation for high adventure activities
  • Activities with elements of risk should never be
    undertaken without proper preparation, equipment,
    clothing, competent supervision, and safety
    measures.

52
No secret organizations
  • The Catholic Diocese of Evansville does not
    recognize any secret organizations as part of its
    program. All aspects of the youth program are
    open to observation by pastors, parents, and
    leaders. Even in cases of closed membership (i.
    e. TEC, Knights of Columbus Squire Circles, etc.)
    parents and pastors MUST be admitted at any time
    to observe the program.

53
Appropriate attire
  • Proper clothing for activities is required.
    Modest dress is always required. Guidelines for
    appropriate attire for a given activity should be
    written and stated before all youth functions.

54
Constructive discipline
  • Discipline used in youth ministry, educational,
    and catechetical ministry should be constructive
    and reflect the Churchs values. Corporal
    punishment is never permitted.

55
Hazing is prohibited
  • Physical hazing and initiations are prohibited
    and may not be included as part of any activity.
    Adult leaders must monitor and guide the
    leadership techniques used by youth leaders and
    ensure that diocesan policies are followed.

56
Catholic Diocese of Evansville
  • Best Practices for Pastoral Conduct
  • (for Priests, Deacons, Pastoral Ministers,
    Administrators, Staff and Volunteers)

57
  • Our children are the most important gifts God has
    entrusted to us. As one who works with children
    in any capacity, I promise to follow these best
    practices as a condition of my providing services
    to the children and youth of our diocese.

58
I will
  • Treat everyone with respect, loyalty, patience,
    integrity, courtesy, dignity, and consideration.
  • Report any suspected abuse and neglect to the
    local Child Protection Services agency or civil
    authorities, then inform the appropriate
    supervisor.

59
  • Report suspected sexual abuse to the local Child
    Protection Services agency or civil authorities,
    then inform the bishops office.
  • Cooperate fully in any investigation of abuse of
    children and/or youth.
  • Participate fully in the required training
    sessions for adults working with children/ youth.

60
  • Refrain from smoking or using tobacco products at
    any time while serving children and/or youth in
    parish or diocesan sponsored events.
  • Refrain from using, possessing, or being under
    the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs at any
    time while serving children and/or youth in
    parish or diocesan sponsored programs.
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