1. Spiritual Communities Action Team Keeping Our Children Safe

2. What is the Spiritual Communities Action Team?
A group of individuals who dedicated 18 months to looking at ways to prevent sexual abuse of children.
We were from various perspectives including: victim advocates, prevention advocates, faith leaders, public health professions, and others.
This initiative was part Minnesota’s Five Year State Plan to Prevent Sexual Violence.
Our work is informed and supported by research and information from spiritual communities.
You might be wondering who we are and why we working with faith communities. We are a group of people who are concerned about sexual abuse prevention for a number of reasons. Some of us work with victims of sexual abuse and wish to stem the tide of abuse cases we see. Others of us are leaders within their spiritual community. Others of us are involved in public health and have special training in assisting with prevention activities.
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3. Is Sexual Abuse A Real Problem?
One of every three girls and one out of every seven boys will have a sexual abuse experience before they are eighteen years old.
These statistics are pretty stable throughout different regions of MN and within every ethnic, religious and socio-economic group. Much of sexual abuse goes un-reported.
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4. Sexual Abuse Happens in Every Ethnic and Socio-economic Group
Rich or poor: Poverty, which contributes to violence in many communities, is not seen as a risk factor for child sexual abuse.
Race matters: African-American women are less likely than white women to involve police in cases of child sexual abuse.
Boys are also abused: About 14 percent of all young victims of sexual assault are male, according to police reports.
*No Secrets, No Lies: How Black Families Can Heal From Sexual Abuse by author and journalist Robin D. Stone
Most of us feel it is unlikely that sexual abuse could actually occur within our own community. Most of recognize Although it is difficult to imagine that sexual abuse occurs within our communities
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5. Long Term Health Consequences of Sexual Abuse
Depression
Chemical Dependency
Obesity
Lung Disorders
Heart Disease
Liver Disease
ACE.org
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6. That doesn’t even begin to explore the emotional impact of sexual abuse.
Social isolation
Difficulties with trust
Anxiety
Post-traumatic stress
Relationship problems
Guilt and shame
Anger
“Social and Emotional Outcomes of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Review of Recent Research” by Kimberly Tyler, 2002
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7. We only need to worry about strangers anyway, right?
Who are most perpetrators of sexual abuse?
Trusted family/friends: over 90% of sexually abused children are victimized by someone they know and trust.
Relatives: 35% of sexual abuse is by biological family members. This is not to say that sexual
abuse is biologically caused.
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8. But there are no sexual perpetrators in our community?
Male or female
Young or old
Any economic group
Any ethnic group
Any religion
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9. People who sexually offend are usually adults, right?
50 % of adult sexual offenders began in childhood and continue into adulthood.
Early intervention is the best prevention.
Every perpetrator was someone’s child.
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10. Family Contribution to Sexual Health – Based On Current Research
Adequate resources – both financially and people wise
Secure attachment and positive emotional bonds
Limiting exposure to sexual content and context
Defined family structure
Protecting children from sexual abuse and assisting with children’s recovery from sexual abuse
Responding to sexually unhealthy behaviors among family members
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11. Family Contribution to Sexual Health - Based On Experiences
Showing appropriate models for physical affection
Discussing morals and ethics as they relate to sexuality
Clear generational roles
Good balance between autonomy and family unity
Ability to change attitudes as children develop sexually
Egalitarian gender roles
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12. Family Factors Contributing to the Sexual Abuse of Children Within or Outside the Family – Retrospective Studies
Poor relationship between child and parent – this is a strong effect
Parents in conflict with each other
Communication between parents and child
Lack of appropriate sex education
These are things we can sometimes change.
Explain standard deviation
Each standard deviation decreased risk 3.5 fold. Colombian population. Questions focused frequency of communication on child’s feelings, child’s problems and child’s friendships.
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Family Enhancement Center

13. Prospective Information
Mother being sexually abused as a child
Stressful life events more common among the families in which sexual abuse occurred
Families who report less social support have an increased risk for sexual abuse of their children
Mother being sexually abused as a child
10 fold increase in her child being sexually abused
Social isolation occurs more among special needs families.
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Family Enhancement Center

14. GOALS Open the discussion on how we can keep all children safe.
Share the work of our Spiritual Communities Action Team.
Get your feedback
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15. Why should it be my responsibility?
Families look to their spiritual community for guidance.
There are both victims and perpetrators among your congregants.
You can have an amazing impact of prevention.
Story of pastoral guidance advising forgiveness in family sexual abuse case.
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18. Putting it All Together - Valley of Peace Lutheran Church
Relationships:
Cherish Our Children, Advocates for Human Rights, local grade school
Policies:
Safe church policies, Safe Harbor law
Education:
Internet safety, “Safeguarding God’s Children”
Spiritual practices:
Prayer for all children and young people, ages birth to 25, sermons, financial giving
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19. Your Spiritual Community

21. Your Feedback… Is this model helpful? Why or why not?
Would you use it? If so, how?
What part is most useful?
What’s missing?
What barriers are there to using this model?
If you are already engaged in prevention activities, how would you start using this model?
How would you engage others in using this model?
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22. Thank you! Would you like to be a pilot congregation? Contact person:
Lessons from a Tree
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23. Experiences with the Tree
Number of congregations contacted for focus group: 3
Number of congregations that agreed to meet for focus group: 3
Types of congregations:
Nondenominational
Lutheran
Catholic
Number of focus group members: 8 to 14
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24. Experiences with the Tree
Church of New Life
Richfield, MN
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25. Experiences with the Tree
St. Thomas More Catholic Parish St. Paul, MN
Valley of Peace Lutheran Church
Golden Valley, MN
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26. Spiritual Roots
Many focus group members responded that there are spiritual roots in their religious tradition that support the concept of keeping all children safe.
Many mentioned passages from spiritual texts.
Others mentioned ceremonial practices like baby naming.
Others described holding regular services which feature children in some way.
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27. The Tree Model for Prevention
Participants said:
The tree made the topic comfortable.
The tree helps organize a complex topic.
The tree could be used to increase awareness.
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28. What are these congregations are already doing to address prevention?
No congregations were addressing all “branches”.
Youth programming on healthy relationships
Policies on how to hire safe staff
Children’s programming to support families
Train staff about mandated reporting
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29. Focus Group Members brought up issues to think about
Congregations need concrete steps to get started.
Congregations need to balance members privacy with addressing abuse issues.
There is a need to teach parents how to be safer parents.
Need to create ways to address parents when they have concerns about a child.
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30. More issues…..
Parents need to feel it is safe to come to the church for help.
Need to address issues related to offenders who want to attend church.
There is a need for on-going groups of parents to get access to information and support.
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31. Ideas for Improving the Tree
Tree website with clickable links to resources
Tree website that would include links to spiritual communities that use the tree
Tree could be used as a symbol for prevention training
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32. Next Steps…
Training for those who want to use the Prevention Tree with spiritual communities
Training/facilitation with spiritual communities directly
????????
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