2/11/14

The%Ostrich%Syndrome%
%%%%%Making'Safety'and'Appropriate'Adult'Behavior'a'

Priority'in'Christ:centered'Children'&'Youth'Ministries%
Presented%By:%Arthur%F.%Blinci,%VP%%Chief%Risk%Management%Ocer

%%%%%

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Every&10&Seconds&

A Child is
Abused in North America

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Child&Abuse&Occurs&in&all&Countries&
Involving&over&40&Million&Children&&

Un>Comprehendible&StaAsAcs&
!!India&
!2!out!of!3!children!under!12!are!physically!abused!
!Over!half!(53.2%)!were!sexually!abused!!
!Over!half!of!the!children!are!emo@onally!abused!with!83%!
indica@ng!the!parents!as!the!abuser!
Source:!!Government!of!India!Child!Abuse!Study!2007!

!&Philippines&&
!Age!of!sexual!consent!is!just!12!years!old!
!Es@mated!that!10,000s!of!children!are!exploited!in!cyberN
related!sex!tourism!every!year!

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It&Couldnt&happen&at my Church!
Recognition of sexual molestation or
abuse of a child is entirely dependent
upon our willingness to entertain the
possibility that the condition may exist.
--Suzanne Sgroi, M.D.

The&Ostrich&Syndrome.&.&.&

"

"
"

"

Sexual&Misconduct&is&not&an&issue&within&
the&Seventh>day&AdvenAst&Church&
God&will&protect&our&Children&from&harm&
We&can&easily&idenAfy&child&abuse&and&have&
a&willingness&to&report&abuse&occuring&in&our&
congregaAons&and&schools&
Adult&Sta&and&Volunteers&know&how&to&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
interact&appropriately&with&Children&&

Do&we&have&our&heads&in&the&sand?&

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&What&is&our&MISSION?&

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Jesus&said&

Matthew 18:1-6

Our&Children,&Students&and&Teenagers&

Our Sacred Trust

and Responsibility

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What&Makes&Children&Vulnerable&
"!Shrouded!in!Secrecy!
"!Cultural!Norms!
"!Abusive!Adult!Power!!
"!Inability!to!understand!!
"!Failure!of!Societys!
Response!for!Protec@on!
"!Children!suering!in!
Silence!not!knowing!
what!is!normal!
!

I&Peter&2:9&
We!are!a!chosen!
people!
Belonging!to!God!
Called!out!of!
darkness!into!
His!wonderful!Light!

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Church ResponsibiliAes
#

Duty!to!protect!our!children!who!are!
$
$
$

#
#
#

Par@cipa@ng!in!church!and!school!ac@vi@es!
Being!supervised!by!employees!or!volunteers!
Using!our!facili@es!

Duty!to!exercise!reasonable!care!in!the!selec@on,!!!!!
training,!supervision,!reten@on!of!sta!and!volunteers!
Duty!to!limit!opportuni@es!for!abuse!
Duty!to!report!oenders!to!legal!authori@es!
Duty!to!prevent!the!poten@al!for!false!allega@ons!

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All&Churches&are&Vulnerable&
# Community of Trust
# Ignorance of Facts
# Internal Leadership Silence
# Lack of Safeguards
# Numerous Opportunities
# Easy Access to Ministries
# Constant Need for Volunteers
to help with Children and Youth
# Failure to respond in a
forthright manner when
situations arise

PotenAal&Impacts
!Loss Factors
" Harmed Lives
" Human Resources
" Financial Resources

!Impacted Lives and

Reputations
!Loss of Confidence in
Church Leadership
!Loss of Membership
!Achievement of our
Mission

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Vermont Diocese

Pays%$17.6%million%

! Settlement of 26 lawsuits dating back to

the 1970s
! Diocese headquarters building being
sold to help pay for the settlement
These unfortunate incidents crippled the life of the church.
It seriously impacted the churchs mission. Now it is my task to
rejuvenate that mission.
Bishop Salvatore Matano, Roman Catholic Diocese of Vermont
USA Today, 5/14/2010

Doing&the&right!thing

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Are we Prepared?!

Child&Abuse&Does&Happen&&&&

&at&AdvenAst&Churches,&Schools,&Camps&and&
other&sponsored&events&

12

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Gods&Children&are&Protected&
Cast all your anxiety on him because
He cares for you. Be self-controlled
and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls
like a ROARING Lion looking for
someone to devour. Resist him, by
Standing firm in your faith
1 Peter 5:7-9 NIV

Jesus&said&
Whoever receives one little child
like this in my name receives me.
But whoever causes one of these
little ones who believes in me to
sin, it would be better for him if a
millstone were hung around his
neck, and he were drowned in the
depths of the sea. Matthew 18:2-6

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What&is&Child&Abuse?&
Child abuse is an act committed by a
parent, care giver, or other person in a
position of trust;
Which is not accidental and
which harms or threatens to
harm a childs physical or
mental health, or welfare.

Forms&of&Child&Abuse&&

&

"Physical or Emotional
Abuse of the Child
"Neglect of the Child
"Improper or unlawful
Sexual Behavior:
$ Physical contact
$ Verbal interaction
$ Visual interaction

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Child&Sexual&Abuse&
Child'sexual'abuse'involves'any%sexual%acLvity%with'a'
child'where'consent'is'not'or'cannot'be'given.''This'
includes'sexual'contact'that'is'accomplished'by'force'
or'threat'of'force,'regardless'of'the'age'of'the'
parEcipants'and'all'sexual'contact'between'an'adult'
and'a'child.'
Sexually'abusive'acts'may'include'sexual'penetraEon,'
sexual'touching,'or'non:contact'sexual'acts'such'as'
exposure'or'voyeurism.'
'' ''U.S.D.H.H.S.'Center'for'Disease'Control'and'PrevenEon'

Facts&about&Child&Sexual&Abuse&
" Child Age Victims (North America)
1 in 4 Girls by age 18
1 in 6 Boys by age 18
" Over 80% of the time the
Abuser is known by the Victim
" Fewer than 5% of children tell
anyone they are being abused
" 75% of all crimes committed
against children is sexual in nature

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" If abuse occurs in a Church,

a respected member will most
likely be the molester
" Sexual abuse occurs in all
races, socioeconomic and
religious groups
" The average age of victims is
between 8-11 years old
" Sexual abuse is rarely a one
time offense
" Children seldom lie about
being in an abusive situation

More&Facts&&!

The Target
8!to!11!year!olds!

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Adults&Know&how&to&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Interact&appropriately&with&Children&

Mission&CriAcal&
!The&Mission:&ChristNcentered!programs!and!
ac@vi@es!for!children!and!youth!
!!The!Challenge:!

#!Protec@ng!children!from!Harm!or!Abuse!!
#!Proper!screening!of!Employees!&!Volunteers!
#!Proper!training!of!all!Employees!&!Volunteers!!
!on!how!to!appropriately!interact!with!children!!
#!Proper!Supervision!of!all!church!sponsored!
!programs!and!ac@vi@es!
#!Willingness!to!report!abusers!to!law!enforcement!

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Volunteer&Code&of&Conduct&
1.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.

Provide!appropriate!supervision!
at!all!@mes!
Have!at!least!one!other!adult!!
present!!at!all!@mes!or!never!be!
alone!with!a!child!at!any!@me!
Ask!the!child!for!permission!to!
touch!them!for!any!reason!
Refrain!from!the!use!of!physical!
or!verbal!acacks!of!any!kind!
Arm!children!only!in!an!
appropriate!manner!
Take!extra!care!when!taking!
children!to!the!restroom!

7. Take!extra!care!when!
conduc@ng!ac@vi@es!in!rooms!
without!interior!viewing!areas!
8. Cooperate!with!the!volunteer!
background!screening!process!
9. Beware!of!the!signs!of!child!
abuse!and!!local!repor@ng!laws!
and!legal!requirements!!
10. Will!conduct!myself!as!a!loving,!
kind,!rm!and!professional!
person!at!all!@mes!
11. Par@cipate!in!training!and!
volunteer!orienta@ons!
12. Uphold!SDA!Standards!and!!!!!
Beliefs!at!all!@mes!

Being Vigilant
at%all%Lmes%

Abusers!cul@vate!rela@onships!with!children:!
# Iden@fying!emo@onally!needy!children!
# Establishing!rela@onships!with!the!childs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
family!to!gain!trust!
# Ini@a@ng!contact!in!situa@ons!where!no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
other!adult!is!present!or!seing!up!such!situa@ons!
# Seing!the!child!apart!from!peers!or!siblings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
as!a!special!friend!
# Establishing!peer!or!buddy!rela@onship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
with!the!child!

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1000&Online&Pedophiles&
IdenAed&in&2&Months&

Recent&Headlines&
Interna@onal!child!pedophile!webcam!ring!arrests!made!of!!!
29!cyber!operators!in!several!countries!!January!2014!
American!pastor!arrested!in!the!Philippines!on!child!abuse!
allega@ons!at!four!orphanages!!January!2014!
Florida!Bap@st!Conven@on!to!appeal!$12!Million!jury!award!
against!pastor!for!child!molesta@on!!January!2014!
Principal!of!Adven@st!School!arrested!in!India!for!lewd!acts!
with!a!female!student!!June!2013!
Former!GC!employee!convicted!of!child!pornography!and!
abuse!of!three!girls!sentenced!to!150!years!in!prison!!July!2013!

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Child&ProtecAon&
What&is&your&church&doing,&not&only&to&
nurture&its&children&but&to&make&sure&that&
they&are&protected&in&every&way&possible?!
Criminal!acts!against!childrenNespecially!
during!churchNsponsored!ac@vi@esNcan!destroy!
a!childs!condence!about!the!church!and,!
usually,!about!the!God!of!the!church.!What!
wrath!must!justly!await!those!who!perpetrate!
such!ac@ons!and!those!who!protect!the!
perpetrators.!Christ!and!His!message!awaken!
condence!and!trust.!How!dare!any!human!
organiza@on!compromise!that!childlike!faith!
through!lack!of!vigilance?!!Adult!SS!Lesson!!1/22/2014!

Make&a&Dierence&

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If%Not%You%Then%Who?%

ProtecAng&Children&from&Abuse&
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Learn&the&facts&and&Understand&the&potenAal&risks&
Minimize&opportunity&
Talk&about&it&
Stay&alert&
Review&suspicions&
Create&a&child&abuse&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
prevenAon&plan&
7. Get&involved&&Become&Pro>AcAve&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&in&
protecAng&children&from&abuse&

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Who&is&Your&Flock?&

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you.

1 Peter 5:2 and 4 NLT

Only&You&can&make&a&Dierence&

22

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Resource&Tools&

23

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Our Adventist Community will

be a Christ centered and safe
environment where children are
loved and valued; where children are
able to appreciate their own worth
and importance; and where
children can grow and develop
their character to be accountable
for themselves and act
responsibly towards others.

Comments

or
Suggestions

24

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Contact&InformaAon&
Arthur F. Blinci, ARM eMBA
Chief Risk Management Officer
Ablinci@adventistrisk.org

www.Adventistrisk.org
The information contained in this presentation is based on general risk management principles and does not
constitute an endorsement by Adventist Risk Management, Inc. of any product(s), service(s) or course of action.
It is the responsibility of the attendee to make their own decision about the reliability and correctness of the
information contained herein. It is advised that all organizations should seek qualified legal counsel
whenever dealing with matters addressed in this seminar. 2013 Adventist Risk Management, Inc.

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