CARU Boosts Child Protection Responses Across Region
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Caribbean Union (CARU) has called on its leaders in the ten fields across its territory to break the silence about all types of abuse to protect its children so that the church is a safe place for them to grow.
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The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Caribbean Union (CARU) has called on its leaders in the ten fields across its territory to break the silence about all types of abuse to protect its children so that the church is a safe place for them to grow. The renewed call came from Rocio Roberts, Adventist Risk Management Account Executive for the Inter-American Division, during a virtual child protection certification training sponsored by the CARU Children Ministries Department.
“The church is an easy target for sexual predators because they believe church people are naïve,” Roberts said. “They know that church members are still saying it can’t happen in our churches. She advised leaders to regularly refer to the “Five-point Rule” which includes the open-door policy to strengthen safety responses to children at risk of abuse. Referencing the policies already outlined in the church manual, she encouraged leaders to “screen volunteers who are responsible for the care of our children.”
Presenters agreed that because churches welcome people from all backgrounds, knowing the signs acts as a deterrent against people with harmful intentions who may choose to attend church because it might give them easy access to children.
“Child abuse thrives in secrecy and the time has come for us to talk about it in our congregations, in our schools and in our communities” said Women, Children & Adolescents Ministries Director of the Caribbean Union, Debra Henry.
She said the training seminar is proof of the church’s commitment to child protection and gives administrators, pastors, teachers, children ministries leaders and youth leaders from across its ten fields the tools needed to implement the Child Care & Protection Plan as supported by the various laws in the individual territories.
Youth Director of the Caribbean Union Pastor Marvyn Smith also emphasized the Caribbean Union Child Protection protocols which are based on the Seventh-day Adventist World Church’s overarching child protection policies and practices, outlined by Adventist Risk Management and local procedures required by such laws. He said that with greater sensitization and training, the efforts of safeguarding our children will be strengthened.
President of the Caribbean Union Dr. Kern Tobias lent his weight to the training exercise as well since the issue impacts not only membership but reflects the heart of the matter. “We have seen and heard in the media within recent times, some children are not even being given a chance to live while others, if they do live, are abused in various ways,” he said.
Telisha Williams, an attorney-at-law who is attached to the Childcare and Protection Agency of the Ministry of Social Protection, Guyana, said that, through education and sensitization, leaders and members are advised to adhere to the tenets of the Child Care and Protection polices as advocated by the church and state. “If there is an allegation of abuse, parents, guardians or caregivers are expected to immediately report the matter to the relevant authorities,” she said.
Training facilitator Dr. Dolstan Morian underscored the need to “still commit to spiritually assisting abused and abusive individuals and their families in their healing and recovery process, and to holding church professionals and church lay leaders accountable for maintaining their personal behavior as is appropriate for persons in positions of spiritual leadership and trust.”
While it may feel like a daunting task to achieve all of these standards, Director Henry said the church is guided by the fact that “the Bible condemns child sexual abuse in the strongest possible terms. Any attempt to confuse, blur, or denigrate personal, generational, or gender boundaries through sexually abusive behavior is a gross violation of personhood. The leadership and members of the SDA church condemn such actions,” she said.
The Caribbean Union Conference Church is the administrative headquarters for the Adventist Church in ten fields throughout the region. Its membership comprises over 247,638 church members worshiping in 731 congregations and 128 companies. The church oversees 51 primary and secondary schools, a university and two hospitals.