I spoke last week from the pulpit, during the time for announcements, about the need for all those who expect to volunteer for Vacation Bible School to turn in their volunteer forms asap because we have a new program to protect our children and everyone has to be trained.
That observation on my part got the attention of a few, mostly our youth who wondered if they have to be “trained,” too. The short answer is, “Yes.” Here is the deal.
We have had a program for the last number of years which was called
“Safe Sanctuary.” That program is being replaced by “MinistrySafe,”
which is the same type of program just more so. From the laypersons
perspective, where “Safe Sanctuary” taught us how to keep our kids
safe in the sense of safe practices, MinistrySafe helps us understand the
mindset of those who would abuse children, and how to spot them.
The statistics are sobering. In the US, one in three women under the age of 18 have been sexually abused, and one in six men. Now, I have known those statistics for some time, and I have also recognized that there is nothing to say that our church’s congregation is immune for them. I step into the pulpit every Sunday knowing that there are people who are hurting sitting in front of me, and who are living with secrets. It is an humbling thought.
What I did not know was that 66% of molestation victims will not tell
until adulthood, if ever. And (you might want to sit down for this)
- Male molesters preferring boys will have an average of 150 victims
before prosecution.
- Male molesters preferring girls will have an average of 52 victims
before prosecution.
- 85% of convicted molesters are men; 15% of convicted molesters
are women.
- 90% of sexual abuse victims are abused by someone they know
and trust.
- Sexual molesters will groom children and gatekeepers prior to
sexual behavior (gatekeepers being those responsible for the safety
of children: staff and volunteers).
- There is no visual profile for a molester. Most molesters appear
helpful, trustworthy, kind and safe.
MinistrySafe is 5-part safety system for preventing sexual abuse of
children.
1. Sexual abuse awareness training
2. Skillful screening training
3. Appropriate criminal background check
4. Tailored policies and procedures
5. Monitoring and Oversight
The program is administered online. The training takes about an hour and ends with a twenty-five question quiz. It’s done online, and can be done according to your schedule. It does not have to be done at one sitting. The cost is $5 per person, which the church will absorb. Every person who volunteers with children and/or youth must be trained by the end of the year. All VBS volunteers, youth and adults, must be trained before VBS.
Cori and Peg are hard at work implementing the names of their volunteers to the MinistrySafe website. Once your name has been entered, you will receive an email directing you to a link where you can complete the training and take the exam.
A couple of random thoughts:
First, I think our church will embrace this new program enthusiastically. Our church culture is infused with teachers and leaders of Boy and Girl Scouts, and they are already on board about the necessity of this program. The administrative committees of the church are not aware of it at this writing, but they are going through the program too.
Second, obviously we did not budget for this, but then, who could have seen it coming. Therefore, a personal request from your pastor: if you can reimburse the church for your training, please do so. If you can throw a bit extra in for those youth and others for whom a $5 per head expense would be a burden, please do that.
I like to end these tomes with a scriptural reference, even one addressing a situation as difficult as this. So, from Mark 10.13-16, where Jesus blesses children.
And he took them up in his
arms,
laid his hands on
them, and blessed them.
Jesus does not touch people in the gospel of Mark. He’s touched by them, but rarely does he reach out and touch someone. That he touches children, holds them in his arms, lays his hands on them and blesses them indicates to me that they have a special place in his kingdom. They have a special place in our church too, a place that is safe.
Bill
