Schools and parents are on the front lines when it comes to protecting children from sexual abuse. There are steps you can take to protect your own children and others too:
Get educated about child sex abuse: Look at statistics and learn more about the problem- Darkness to Light, a non-profit committed to empowering adults to prevent child sexual abuse, has compiled statistics and facts on child sexual abuse and it can be viewed by clicking here.
Minimize opportunities for abuse: Find out how sexual predators groom potential victims. Think carefully about any settings/situations your students will be in. To learn more on how to minimize these opportunities, click here.
Teaching Children to recognize sexual abuse and report it: Emotional and behavioral signs are more common than physical signs. For tips on how to talk to talk about abuse, click here.
Catholic schools in the archdiocese offer Protecting God's Children, Touching Safety Program for Children™, a school-based curriculum designed by VIRTUS®. The Touching Safety program is a vehicle through which parents, teachers, catechists, and youth ministers (educators) give children and young people the tools they need to protect themselves from those who might harm them. To learn more about the archdiocesan offerings of this program, click here.
Learn to recognize the signs that a child is being abused: Don’t expect obvious signs when a child is being abused. Signs are often there, but you have to know what to look for. To learn more on how to recognize the signs, click here.
Protecting God’s Children® for Adults is training conducted by VIRTUS® certified facilitators on the prevention of child sexual abuse. The training makes participants aware of the signs of child sexual abuse, the methods and means by which offenders commit abuse, and five easy steps one can use to prevent child sexual abuse. To learn more about the Archdiocesan offerings of this program, click here.
Make sure all places are safe for your children: Churches, schools, and youth organizations must ensure that children and youth who worship, study, or participate in activities sponsored can do so in the safest and most secure setting possible. The Archdiocese of Newark has appointed a Safe Environment Coordinator to ensure:
A code of conduct for clergy and for any other paid personnel and volunteers in positions of trust who have regular contact with children and young people.
Training for all adults who work with children that consists of:
Signs an adult may see in a child who is abused;
Signs an adult may see in a person who abuses children;
What actions an adult should take when they believe child abuse of any kind may be occurring.
A training program for children that includes age-appropriate materials pertaining to personal safety that conforms to Catholic teachings.
To learn more, contact:
Karen Clark
Director, Department for the Protection of the Faithful