Show OcdcaCtcndrd-C3:zrrInc- April 10 1006 r Child abuse a pervasive problem By JOHN DeVILBISS Religion Religious leaders can aid battle against abuse Editor Child abuse There are no explanations or excuses for it — no churches or neighborhoods free of it If you haven’t come across it you haven't asked the right questions said Marilyn Sandberg coordinator of the Weber County Task Force for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse Speaking before the Ogden Area Ministerial Association recently Sandberg told local religious leaders that child abuse — both physical and sexual — is “a very drastic community problem” that is occurring in “all your churches and all your neighborhoods” across the country Physical and emotional abuse occur when an adult threatens or causes physical or mental harm to a child It may include beating neglect threats of abandonment and depriving a child of food and necessary medical aid Sexual abuse involves any sexually stimulating activity between a child and an adult or another child who is in a postion of power trust or control according to a child abuse prevention handout Sandberg said 98 percent of those in prison today were abused as children This indicates they were not “born bad” but their behavior was learned — a cycle vicious and endless In Utah if a person has not experienced a personal incident with child abuse he has at least heard about one During the past four years there has been a 700 percent increase in the number of cases reported Sandberg said adding there is a relation between this increase and the enactment of the Utah Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act four years ago She said education in school and increased media attention has also contributed to this increase — placing Utah fifth in the nation for reported cases of child abuse In the Ogden area alone four to five cases of child abuse are reported each week This does not necessarily say that Utah has more abusers than other states — though it has its share — as much as it reflects favorably upon the present re : By JOHN DeVILBISS Reiyion Editor Utah today has the harshest against child abusers in the nation The newest law passed this year by the state Legislature and signed by Gov Norman amends an earlier law to now exempt clergy from having to report child abuse if it is learned in a confessional setting Instead of softening the impact against abusers however the amendment comes down harder on offenders because it requires clergy to report all cases of child abuse reported to them by someone other than the perpetrator said Marilyn Sandberg coordinator of the Weber County Task Force for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse Speaking to local religious leaders at the Ogden Area Ministerial Association Sandberg said the exemption should have little impact because so few offenders actually come forth and freely confess their crime It appears to require fortitude most abusers lack in the first place Since the vast majority of reported cases are disclosed by someone other than the perpetrator Sandberg said she hopes to see a significant increase in the number of cases reported during the next year She emphasised that a “true confessional situation” involves people who on their own accord volunteer information to their religious leader — “not because they think their daughter or wife is going to tell on them” laws porting and education system she said Sandberg said children today for the first time are being told they have rights concerning their bodies their future and their happiness “My guess is that our stand as to what we’ll put up with as far as dealing with children has increased significantly” she said Where children were once socially thought of as personal possessions of their parents — and were therefore at their mercy — “that is not believed any longer” she said “That is not accepted “You’ve come a long way baby” is a phrase that can literally be applied to children and new aimed at protecting them Sandberg said the first law protecting children from abuse was not enacted until near the turn of the century The case that brought such protection about New involved an York girl who was abused by her She warned that there is a difparents The child was found by ference between a counseling enpolice with severe bruise and vironment and a confessional burn marks all over her body as proAt the time there was no state setting Clergymen just fessional therapists are required law on the books that specificalto report abuse when it is ly spelled out protection for chillearned outside a confessional dren who suffered abuse In the setting — such as in a counselcase of the New York girl in oring environment der to remove her from the In a ictter to Lt Gov Val home and prosecute the case ofOvcson Bangcrtcr said he ficials had to turn to the state signed the bill not to jeopardize See ABUSE on Page 5 children but in hopes that it will laws Muslims aren’t all terrorists cause more victims and other family members to go to their for assistance On the other hand clergymen will now be aware of their legal responsibilities “to assist victims and see to it that the abuse has stopped” clergymen “Now I feel comfortable with the bill” Sandberg said because it outlines when a clergyman is required to report and when he is not She said religious leaders can play a major role in helping to spot abuse victims but it requires sensitive observation “They (victims) can keep a secret of sex abuse for years and years” Clergymen during interviews need to open up lines of communication she said They need to ask specific questions such as “Are people treating you morally clean?” and “Is anyone touching you where they shouldn't?” If a victim is w illing to talk respond quickly but carefully she said Believe the victim Children who are abused tend to minimize rather than exaggerate their abuse These children need to understand they are not to blame Be sensitive to the child’s feelings she said Sandberg said religious leaders who have been told of abuse by a victim must take the responsibility to report the abuse to officials not the victim “They need that kind of support and help from clergy” she said ‘They can’t do it themselves” Regarding the abuser whose oflearned outside a confessional setting Sandberg said church leaders must work within the legal system — abusers can't be trusted to help themselves solve the problem “They will lie to you in the most believing way you've ever heard” she said adding that offenders in this kind of crime can seldom stop on their own It takes intricate and extensive work within the religious therapeutic and legal systems if the cycle isto bp stopped fense was Page 12 |