Prevention Efforts
By Patrick McGuire
Consultant to the VIRTUS® Programs
Once again, we are reading national headlines of a case of student abuse involving a female teacher and a male student. Hot on the sensational heels of the media heralds, came the requisite glib follow-ups comprised of supposedly “clever” individuals wondering weighty insights such as “Where were these women when I was in school?” One has to shake their head in wonder at the virtual lack of empathy, lack of good sense, and lack of knowledge exhibited in such statements.The perception, incorrect though it may be, is that teenage boys are not victims. In fact, some perceive them to be victors. Can you believe it? Let’s get this out of the way quickly and then move on: In any sexual relationship between a minor and an adult, the child is never at fault. NEVER! The rationale behind this truism is fodder for another paper, the fact that this is even an issue is the topic of the moment.
Through this series of events, I learned all over again that, not surprisingly, some people are so confident in their personal opinions, that they can seem totally unmoved by all of the revelations about the nature of child sexual abuse that have been the focus of prevention efforts such as the VIRTUS® programs.
Thankfully, these individuals fall in the minority of those attending awareness sessions. And thankfully, all dioceses have been required to implement Codes of Conduct for anyone working with or around our children. And, the great thing about the codes is that they are rules, not just guidelines. The enforcement of these codes substantially increases the safety of our environments because they must be adhered to whether they are universally accepted or not. And since they are specifically designed to keep our kids safer, our children will benefit from them despite the notions of the occasional discontented person.
A couple of years ago, I wrote that “in all change that is attempted at the societal level, the people who are responsible for initiating the change are faced with circumstances that are new and hence unfamiliar.” Because of this, the learning curve can make the necessary changes uncomfortable and even difficult.
However, the people who are initially responsible for implementation of measures designed to create and maintain safer environments are not the only ones being exposed to the new ideas. Supervisors train staff, staff oversee volunteers, and volunteers oversee children. And over time, these roles shift. Supervisors retire, staff members are promoted, volunteers become staff, and children grow up and often volunteer. This succeeding generation, because of its previous participation in Safe Environment programs, is more comfortable and up to speed than their predecessors regarding awareness and prevention. By the time the children of today become the supervisors, maintaining safe environments will be standard operating procedure, not the crisis control that many have perceived it to be.
We are making steady and good progress in our efforts to protect children and young people. And the ones who are digging in their heels will gradually give way to succeeding generations of professionals and volunteers who have a sincere understanding of what we are trying to accomplish.
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