GEORGIA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Shelia M. Poole
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Stung by scandals of child sexual abuse, churches are taking greater steps to become a secure place for youths.
“Churches are supposed to be safe and trustworthy,” said Sally Ulrey, a trainer for Safeguarding God’s Children. “When I train adults, they’re surprised that this is so common. When they were younger, of course it happened, it just wasn’t talked about.
Ulrey, whose training sessions are required for all adults who work with children by the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, recently held a session for about a dozen or so members of St. Edward’s Episcopal Church in Lawrenceville that involved videos detailing stories about sexual abuse of youths by pastors and volunteers. They then discussed ways to stop it from happening again — perhaps in their own churches.
Child sexual abuse is hardly a problem solely in churches, but churches are trying to do what they can to halt the problem. In addition to requiring training like that conducted by Ulrey, they are conducting background checks on clergy, staffers and volunteers. Others are adding security cameras, setting child-to-adult ratios, limiting where outside events are held, and making structural modifications such as adding glass in doors so people can see inside. Such actions are often required by insurance companies that can provide up to $1 million in coverage to churches.
“One thing I’ve found so surprising is that some churches don’t have training, they don’t have policies and they don’t have ratios of adults to children,” said Ulrey, who also is a member and staffer at St. Mathews Episcopal Church in Snellville. “It’s sort of a liability waiting to happen, which is really scary to me.”
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