Editorial

Sexual abuse of children happens too often in our society today. It is estimated that one in 10 boys and one in four girls will be abused before they become adults.

Studies show that about 89 percent of the molesters were known to the victim. These include trusted teachers, camp counselors, pastors, and family members. Only about 11 percent of abuse is committed by strangers.

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Church seeks to protect children. How can we protect our children from sexual abuse? The Catholic Church in the United States - spurred on by revelations of sexual abuse of children by clergy - has put protection of children at the top of its priorities. The U.S. Bishops issued their Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in the summer of 2002. They said:

"As bishops, we acknowledge our mistakes and our role in that suffering, and we apologize and take responsibility for too often failing victims and our people in the past. We also take responsibility for dealing with this problem strongly, consistently, and effectively in the future."

As part of the Charter, bishops have required all dioceses to establish "safe environment" programs. Dioceses must provide education and training for children, youth, parents, ministers, educators, and others about ways to make and maintain a safe environment for children.

Safe environment program. The Diocese of Madison has contracted with the Protecting God's Children Program. This program teaches diocesan and parish staff, volunteers, and parents to better understand and to recognize the warning signs of child sexual abuse and how to respond appropriately.

On Oct. 16, a group of 62 persons from the Diocese of Madison joined others from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and Diocese of Green Bay in a training session conducted by the VIRTUS program in Milwaukee. This session teaches facilitators how to present the Protecting God's Children Program to adults, how to facilitate group discussions, and to incorporate diocesan policies and procedures into the sessions.

Kate Wiskus, program coordinator in the Diocese of Madison, emphasized that all clergy, diocesan staff members, teachers, school staff, catechists, coaches, parish staff, and key volunteers (those who work with children) will be required to participate in this program. This includes attending a four-hour training session and reading monthly bulletins (provided online).

This training is mandatory, she said. To questions about how to find the time, she responded, "We'll have to be creative and find time. If it's important, we'll find a way to do it. We must create a safe environment for our children and employees."

Unite. I urge people in the Diocese of Madison to unite in support for the Protecting God's Children Program. We must provide a safe environment in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, and churches. Hopefully, with our help the number of children sexually abused will be much lower in the years ahead as awareness increases.

Mary C. Uhler