Safe Sanctuaries for Children and Youth: Reducing the Risk of Abuse in the Church

Attorney and United Methodist clergy person Joy Thornburg Melton brings this informative DVD to help Christian clergy and laity assess risk and implement processes to reduce the likelihood of abuse in their congregations. If you have not yet developed policies to protect both the children and youth in your care and the adults who work with them, now is the time!

Segment 1 - Why?
The tragic reality of sexual abuse; the scriptural basis for our response; recognizing various kinds of abuse; the impact of abuse on victims, abusers, families, friends, and congregations; statistics (more than 3 million reported cases a year); and insurance and liability issues.

Segment 2 - How?
Evaluating the risk in your church; establishing abuse-prevention policies; recruiting, screening, and hiring workers; guidelines for volunteers; and day-to-day procedures for safety.

Segment 3 - Reporting and Responding
A plan for legal reporting; responding to the victim, to the victim's family, to the news media, to insurance agents, and possibly to the abuser and the abuser's family; and support ministries.

Also see related Study Guide.