Total awareness beyond the news

With increasing frequency, we see and hear news reports aboutchildren and young people who have been the targets of molestation.People are initially shocked or outraged; some even express disbelief.Because, as humans, we want to know why something this atrocioushappens, a natural tendency may be to assign blame and look for aparticular cause surrounding an abuse incident.

For example, we might think the behavior occurred because theperpetrator is a member of the clergy; the perpetrator is homosexual,or another "type." When we believe we can explain why such a dreadfulevent occurs and blame someone who is different from us, we can thendistance ourselves from the category of persons we perceive to be theperpetrators.

There is no small danger in soothing our anxieties by convincingourselves that "we just have to watch out for the particular kinds ofpeople who are committing these acts." Such beliefs allow watchfulnessto slip away as long as "those types" are not around. We cease beingfull-time protectors of children.

Child molesters belong to every profession, gender, ethnic group, andthey live in rural, urban and suburban areas. There is no "look" aboutthem that indicates that they are a danger to the physical andemotional health of our children. It is imperative that we look beyonddemographic characteristics and focus on the behaviors of adults whenthey are around children. We must regularly refresh the basic knowledgeand actions required to keep children safe.

Dr. David Finkelhor, a well-recognized expert in the study of childsexual abuse, identifies the four conditions necessary for abuse tooccur:

---The offender has the desire for sexual contact with a child.

---The offender does not inhibit the desire.

---There is an opportunity to offend without being stopped by others.

---The offender is able to overcome the resistance of the victim.

As caring adults, we can most effectively interfere with attempts toengage in inappropriate behavior with children and young people byeliminating the opportunity to molest. That means being constantlyattuned to the behaviors of adults.

The leaders and managers of organizations, educational institutions andbusinesses who are serious about ensuring the safety of the childrenand young people in their care require that everyone serving as anemployee or volunteer is thoroughly screened. Moreover, effectiveleaders insist that everyone receives education and training about theprotection of children, including how to and to whom concerns should beexpressed.

It is no longer acceptable to solely learn how to recognize the signsthat a child has been abused. Although we must, whenever possible,reinforce a child's ability to resist improper attention and advances,as adults we cannot abandon our responsibility to protect the safety ofchildren. It is time for conscientious, caring adults to be alert tothose seeking opportunities to offend --- no matter the offender'sprofession, gender, perceived sexual orientation, ethnicity, orposition in society.

When we look beyond the stereotypes we may encounter, we make greatstrides in becoming key protectors of children. And we become, as Dr.Barbara Bonner says, "part of the solution to make a child's world asafer place."

This article is the copyrighted property of National Catholic Services,LLC (National Catholic), all rights reserved, and is reprinted herewith National Catholic's permission. It originally appeared on theVIRTUS Online� risk management website at www.virtus.org. For moreinformation about VIRTUS Online� or other VIRTUS products and services,call 1-888-847-8870. This article is forty-eighth in a series offeature stories, commentary and analysis is compiled and edited by anadvisory group to the Media Relations Office of the Archdiocese,through which the articles are distributed. Dr. David Finkelhor isDirector of Crimes Against Children Research Center, Co-Director of theFamily Research Laboratory, and Professor of Sociology at theUniversity of New Hampshire.2 Dr. Barbara Bonner is Professor and Associate Director of the ChildStudy Center in the Department of Pediatrics at the University ofOklahoma Health Sciences Center.