In 1994, Synod approved the formation of the abuse prevention ministry. Synod took a brave step because it could not have anticipated all that followed. In truth, no one knew what God had in store for the CRCNA.
Here are some tips on facility changes for the protection of youth.
Although it does vary, in most states and provinces, the age of consent is 16. Below age 16, a minor is regarded as unable to give consent; 16 or older and the minor is regarded as able to give consent. That does not mean, however, that everyone who is of age to give consent to sexual acts has given consent ...
Consent is not just permission; consent also implies that we understand the consequences of our actions. Learn more about consent in this blog and in future blogs.
You can wait for the Acts of Synod to be published, or you can take a peek at some of the decisions of Synod 2010 that impact the Safe Church Ministry.
From North America to Africa, from Europe to Asia, one of the great tragedies facing humanity, a tragedy not often talked about (or certainly not enough), is that of women as victims of violence—even in the church.
His eye is on the sparrow, but he was tapping my shoulder all morning.
We work over breaks and take a break over meetings. During meal times and break times, we have several conversations .... each one conducted fast and with few words, but ...
I mentioned in my first synod blog the anxiety I felt driving to synod and then how it seemed to dissipate with meeting and greeting old friends and colleagues. I felt like the sparrow protected by God's almighty hand. So I'll refer to these synod blogs as the "view from the sparrow's nest".
Synod for me is like a lot of training events. In one respect, synod is a friendly environment to discuss a subject matter that is dear to my heart and therefore easy to talk about. On the other hand, delegates, like conference attendees, often ask pointed questions and challenge the speaker's knowledge or the opinions of others. It is this second respect which draws out the anxiety in me and probably in a few other speakers.
The fourth in a series of questions frequently raised in training sessions: I am a man who cares deeply about sexual abuse, but what can one man do to make a difference? Isn't (sexual abuse) primarily a problem women need to learn how to keep themselves safe? Gerry Heyboer writes the following response. The answer to the first question is "A lot!" The answer to the second question is "No!"
As a teenager Joanne Ravensbergen was abused by her brother-in-law, now a retired CRC pastor. . . the abuse “destroyed my faith,” she said. “I’ve burned my Bibles.”
Cynthia* never expected that a pool party with church council members and her pastor would leave her humiliated and traumatized decades later.
About 25 years ago reports began to surface about physical, emotional, and sexual abuse perpetrated by members and even leaders in the Christian Reformed Church.
Half of the Christian Reformed Church’s 1,100 congregations now have a Child Safety Policy in place. And approximately half of the 47 classes (regional groups of churches) have Safe Church Teams in place.
A book from Faith Alive Christian Resources for teens that humorously covers topics related to healthy sexuality.
This free guide provides a thorough description of emotional abuse, victims, abusers, and effects along with information about what to do when you recognize it and how to report it.
Preventing Child Abuse will guide churches and nonprofit organizations through the process of designing and implementing child safety policies and procedures.
Don't get caught thinking that a criminal record check is the only screening you need to do.
Sample letters for pastors, churches, and prospective Safe Team Members to be used for Classis Safe Church Team recruiting.
Sample bulletin announcements for recruiting members for a classis Safe Church Team.
Guidelines for recruiting and selecting the members of a Safe Church Team.
This document includes all the steps, approximate costs and the organizational structure of a Safe Church Team.
Advocates provide support for claimants through the advisory panel process. This document outlines the role of the advocate.
This chart is from Preventing Child Abuse: A Guide for Churches (Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2003, page 30) will help you apply screening steps to volunteer and staff positions.