Archdiocese
promotes awareness of abuse, assault
By Christie L. Chicoine
CS&T Staff Writer
Posters are being placed in Catholic schools as part of an archdiocesan
campaign to promote National Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Assault
Awareness Month.
Archdiocesan elementary and secondary schools across the Archdiocese are
receiving posters geared to grade school and high school students courtesy
of the archdiocesan Office for Child and Youth Protection.
The poster for children in kindergarten through eighth grade asks a basic
question: “Is someone hurting you?” It encourages children
to tell someone if they are being hurt or harmed in any way. It also reassures
them that assault is never their fault, and that God loves them and wants
them to be safe.
The poster for teenagers asks if they are being sexually assaulted or
otherwise harmed in any way. Telephone numbers where teens may seek help
are provided on the poster — and, for those who are in a hurry or
want to discreetly get the number, individual slips of paper with resource
information may be quickly pulled from the poster.
Teens are directed to two agencies — the archdiocesan Victim Assistance
Office and an external victim assistance network.
The Victim Assistance Office is for those who want to make a report against
an archdiocesan employee, volunteer, religious or member of the clergy.
The external agency is for those seeking individual, confidential counseling
and who are uncertain about whether or not they want to make a report,
and want to know more about the reporting process.
Karen Becker, director of the Child and Youth Protection office, said
it is her hope that the posters for the high school students will be placed
in areas where students can view them with some level of privacy —
such as in the corner of a library, or in restrooms — so that attention
will not be drawn to a student who is looking at one.
The poster’s tear-off slips provide a discreet way for students
to obtain contact information for themselves, their peers or a family
member.
The Child and Youth Protection office is also distributing posters to
parish religious education programs across the Archdiocese as well as
to other young Catholics through the archdiocesan Office for Youth and
Young Adults.
The fact that child abuse prevention and sexual assault awareness are
highlighted nationally this month provides an opportunity for the Archdiocese
to build on measures of prevention and awareness already in place, Becker
said.
“We remain committed to serving those who, sadly, have been harmed
in their childhood. We continue to work to promote wellness, healing and
services through our Victim Assistance Office,” she said.
“We recognize that the adult survivors of clergy childhood sexual
abuse who we’re working with are living with the lifelong effects
of childhood sexual assault. It’s their example to us that keeps
us committed and focused on doing all that we can in the future,”
Becker said.
“We’re committed to providing for the care and support of
the adult survivors of clergy sexual abuse, as well as focusing our attention
on the prevention of any child being abused in any archdiocesan facility.
They’re equally important.”
If you or someone you know has experienced an incident of sexual abuse
by clergy, religious, an employee or volunteer of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia,
call the archdiocesan Office of the Victim Assistance Coordinators at
(888) 800-8780, e-mail philavac@adphila.org or send correspondence by
standard mail to the Victim Assistance Program c/o Archdiocese of Philadelphia,
222 N. 17th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Visit the archdiocesan Web site, www.archphila.org, then access the bulleted
icons under “Victim Assistance.”
The external Network of Victim Assistance may be reached at (800) 675-6900.
Visit the Web site at www.novabuck.org.
CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine may be reached at (215)
587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org.
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