Creating a Safe Environment Through Knowledge and Action

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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

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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.

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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• withdrawn

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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.

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When discipline becomes Abusive

• A physical injury which is the result of
  discipline and is non-accidental

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Disciplinary Physical Abuse includes but is not
limited to

• Striking with a hand, fist, or instrument
• Throwing
• Shaking

• Burning
• Suffocating
• Drowning

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Normal and Suspicious Bruising
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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.

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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

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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

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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 challenged, have low IQ or have a
  flat personality.

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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.

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Emotional Abuse

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

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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)

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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.
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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

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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

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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

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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

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Victim/Suspect Relationships
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EDUCATING CHILDRENAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
Recommendation
AGE PREVENTION PLAN
18 months Teach your child the proper names for body parts.
3-5 years Teach your child about "private parts" of the body and how to say "no" to sexual advances. Give straight-forward answers about sex.

Good Knight Organization
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EDUCATING CHILDRENAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
Recommendation
5-8 years Discuss safety away from home and the difference between being touched in private parts of the body (parts covered by a bathing suit) and other touching. Encourage your child to talk about scary experiences.

Good Knight Organization
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EDUCATING CHILDRENAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
Recommendation
8-12 years Stress personal safety and give examples of possible problem areas, such video arcades, restrooms, malls, locker rooms, and out-of-the-way places outdoors. Start to discuss rules of sexual conduct that are accepted by the family.

Good Knight Organization
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EDUCATING CHILDRENAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
Recommendation
13-18 years Re-stress personal safety and potential problem areas. Discuss rape, "date rape," sexually transmitted diseases, and unintended pregnancy.

Good Knight Organization
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Resources

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

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Catholic Diocese of Evansville

• Safe Environment Program
• Framework For Youth Protection
• Catechist Training Program

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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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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

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• 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.

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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 [phone]
• Local [phone]

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Best Practices for Adults Who Work With Youth
44
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.

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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.

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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.

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• 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Constructive discipline

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

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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.

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Catholic Diocese of Evansville

• Best Practices for Pastoral Conduct
• (for Priests, Deacons, Pastoral Ministers,
  Administrators, Staff and Volunteers)

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• 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.

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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.

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• 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.

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• 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.