April has been set aside as national Child Abuse Prevention Month. Recent statistics tell us that one out of every four girls and one out of every six boys are sexually abused before they turn 18. In the VIRTUS® Protecting God’s Children sessions that Diocese of Camden employees and volunteers attend, we learn to identify warning signs that an individual may be a potential abuser.
These warning signs include: the individual prefers spending time with children more than with adults, the individual gives inappropriate gifts to the child, the individual thinks that rules do not apply to him/her, the individual engages in excessive touch or tickling, the individual has secrets with the child.
Any one of these warning signs could be a red flag that the individual is grooming the child in order to enter into an abusive relationship. However, any one of these signs could also just be an indication of poor boundaries or poor socialization. So attendees of the Protecting God’s Children sessions are taught to always have “careful suspicion” of any adult volunteering or working with children. We can never be too protective of our children.
Another important lesson attendees learn from these sessions is that the molester/abuser is a very careful manipulator, taking lots of time to groom the child, the family and the community. We cannot be complacent. Attendees watch in two separate videos as two child sexual abusers describe how easy it was for them to abuse the children that they abused. Watching the molesters in their interviews can be disturbing for the attendees to absorb.
In these Protecting God’s Children sessions, which the Diocese of Camden implemented in August 2018, volunteers and employees interacting with children are taught what to do and how to report if child abuse is suspected. They are also taught what to do and how to report if they suspect inappropriate behavior on the part of an adult.
Jesus calls us all to care for the most vulnerable among us and this includes children. Our faith also calls for us to uphold the value of human life and the dignity of the human person. The protection of children is the responsibility of all of us, a responsibility that is of the highest priority in the life of the church.
But this responsibility is not just church-related. During Child Abuse Prevention Month, we are reminded of the call to be instruments of justice, working for the common good of all. We should be vigilant about ensuring a safe environment for all children in the church, in scouting programs, in music lessons, in karate lessons, in YMCA programs – everywhere.
During this difficult and unprecedented time, our families may be facing an overwhelming amount of stress, worry, anxiety and pressure. The following resources are available:
New Jersey Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline (to report abuse or neglect of a minor), 1-877-652-2873
Family Help Line (for adults feeling stress that they may become abusive), 1-800-843-5437
2nd Floor Youth Helpline (for minors to call if they are being abused), 1-888-222-2228
National Domestic Violence Hotline (for anyone affected by domestic violence), 1-800-799-7233
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, 1-800-985-5990
May God bless you and your family and may you all be safe and well.
Rod J. Herrera, LCSW, is director, Office of Child and Youth Protection, Diocese of Camden.
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