- Sep 17, 2017
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I saw this theme in another thread, and I wanted to write about why there is a strong recommendation in ministry of never being one-on-one with a child, whether you are a pastor, youth pastor, children's minister, volunteer, cook, teacher, older child volunteer... etc. I know sexual abuse is something we would rather not talk about, but that does not help us. We need to set aside our feelings, and look at the facts, so we can form policies and be aware.
I would like to focus on four important statistics in preventing child sexual abuse:
The last two statistics should scare the pants off you. Sorry, but that is the truth. Background checks? They are next to useless. The stereotypes we form of people who abuse children, our checking of the sex offender lists? These are also next to useless. It is not strangers in trench coats who abuse kids, it is the people closest to us that we would never think could harm a child, and they usually have nothing in their history that would suggest they might hurt a child.
In fact, an extra statistic I will throw in here is that up to half of sex offenders - half - are children themselves. This is something I hear from the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and many researchers, and while I have not been able to hunt down a study, I do not doubt their statement. These are people who study sexual abuse for a living to ensure we can create policies that are effective in keeping kids safe. If you really need a study, see this one.
I know sexual abuse is something we would rather not talk about, because it is uncomfortable and raises all kinds of emotions we would rather not deal with. However, we all need to make sure that our efforts to work with children keep them as safe as they can be without going crazy.
The best way to keep our kids safe is by preventing the harm before it can happen, not waiting until it does. Even if you have never had an incident in your church or community (that you know of), it is well worth it to keep your kids safe.
- TNF 13
Advocate for the Primary Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse
I would like to focus on four important statistics in preventing child sexual abuse:
- 77% of child sexual abuse, and 70% of sexual assault, occurs in a residence (source)
- 81% of child sexual abuse happens in a one-on-one situation (same source)
- 93% of sexual abusers of children are people known and trusted in the community
- 95% of those who commit sexual crimes do not have any criminal history (source)
The last two statistics should scare the pants off you. Sorry, but that is the truth. Background checks? They are next to useless. The stereotypes we form of people who abuse children, our checking of the sex offender lists? These are also next to useless. It is not strangers in trench coats who abuse kids, it is the people closest to us that we would never think could harm a child, and they usually have nothing in their history that would suggest they might hurt a child.
In fact, an extra statistic I will throw in here is that up to half of sex offenders - half - are children themselves. This is something I hear from the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and many researchers, and while I have not been able to hunt down a study, I do not doubt their statement. These are people who study sexual abuse for a living to ensure we can create policies that are effective in keeping kids safe. If you really need a study, see this one.
I know sexual abuse is something we would rather not talk about, because it is uncomfortable and raises all kinds of emotions we would rather not deal with. However, we all need to make sure that our efforts to work with children keep them as safe as they can be without going crazy.
The best way to keep our kids safe is by preventing the harm before it can happen, not waiting until it does. Even if you have never had an incident in your church or community (that you know of), it is well worth it to keep your kids safe.
- TNF 13
Advocate for the Primary Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse