Bishop Vasa Commentary
The headline in the local paper this week was a little distressing because it says so little and implies so much. I understand this because a more controversial headline generates greater interest and gives the impression of hard hitting journalism. While the headline: “Local Diocese 1 of just 2 to balk at audit of child safety” could have been a bit different, by and large the story was balanced.
A part of the American Bishops’ efforts to reduce the frequency of child sexual abuse includes a mode of monitoring what programs dioceses have implemented and how those programs are managed. While I believe the method of monitoring to be a bit heavy handed, I understand it and, in general, I do not oppose it. In reality the Diocese has been “audited” twice in the past and I have fully cooperated in that process. In both instances the audit showed that the Diocese of Baker was in compliance with all aspects of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People with the exception of one point. It is this point, which is a matter of great conviction for me, which precludes me from coming into full compliance with the Charter. Since a new audit would reveal the same as the previous audits I chose not to participate in the audit this year as a way of bringing my objection to greater attention.
As early as 1993 there was already sufficient scientific evidence for the Center for Disease Control to offer the following editorial comment: “During 1993, approximately 300,000 children were sexually abused. Most child sexual abuse prevention programs focus on teaching children how to lower their risk for becoming a victim of sexual abuse. However, the greatest potential for prevention may be with persons who abuse or other adults who can intervene with the abuser.”
In a 2001 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association titled: Evaluation of a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program – Vermont, 1995-1997 we read: “ Public health social marketing campaigns have targeted adults to prevent drinking and driving, smoking, and human immunodeficiency virus transmission; however, adults have not been targeted for prevention of child sexual abuse. In Vermont, STOP IT NOW! addresses child sexual abuse systematically as a public health issue by using social marketing and public education to emphasize the responsibility of adults for prevention.” (JAMA. 2001;285:1147-1148).
I applaud the effort, brought about by the Charter, to train a significant number of supervisory adults to help assure that Church run institutions are vigilant about maintaining a safe environment for children. The Diocese of Baker has trained more than 2000 such individuals who work or volunteer in the Diocese. This is consistent with Article 12 of the Charter: “Dioceses/eparchies are to maintain “safe environment” programs which the diocesan/eparchial bishop deems to be in accord with Catholic moral principles. They are to be conducted cooperatively with parents, civil authorities, educators, and community organizations to provide education and training for children, youth, parents, ministers, educators, volunteers, and others about ways to make and maintain a safe environment for children and young people. Dioceses/eparchies are to make clear to clergy and all members of the community the standards of conduct for clergy and other persons in positions of trust with regard to children.”
I call your attention to one very glaring point of disagreement between me and the audit process. The Charter mandates that, in addition to other groups, the Church is to provide “education and training for … parents … about ways to make and maintain a safe environment for children and young people.” (emphasis added) I believe this should be our first line of approach because it properly recognizes “the responsibility of adults for prevention.” This makes perfect sense to me. I believe that efforts involving parents, and I think the studies agree with me, have the “greatest potential for prevention.” And yet, when we are audited about what we are doing there is no question whatsoever about what we are doing with or for parents! We are audited for compliance to Article 12 in regard to our efforts with children. We are audited for compliance to Article 12 in regard to our efforts with youth. We are audited for compliance to Article 12 in regard to our efforts with ministers. We are audited for compliance to Article 12 in regard to our efforts with educators. We are audited for compliance to Article 12 in regard to our efforts with volunteers. We are not, however, audited for compliance to Article 12 in regard to our efforts with parents. When I brought this discrepancy to a Member of the National Review Board several years ago I was told that we have no way of coercing parents but that we can train the children.
It seems to me that we must involve parents and so I have worked with experts on a Program for Parents instead of a program for children. I am now working to have this Parent Program fully implemented in the Diocese in the Fall of 2009. If all parents opt out of training for their children then I will be in compliance when the Diocese is audited in 2009. I am puzzled, however, about why nearly every Diocese in the country is not found to be out of compliance with regard to the promise of the Charter that parents will be educated and trained “to make and maintain a safe environment for children.” Yet, about this, no one seems to care. The auditors are instructed to ignore selectively one portion of Article 12 while enforcing the others. Unfortunately, the one ignored is the one which not only should not be ignored but which should have been the central and main focus of our efforts from the beginning. Leaving parents out of this effort leaves the children at much greater risk and that should be unacceptable not only to me but to all of us. My efforts to make Healthy Families: Safe Children more broadly available continue and it is my hope to bring this Program to publication in the next few months. Efforts with children may help them to report if, when and after they are abused but efforts with parents and adults aim at prevention of the abuse. The headline did not tell the whole story.