SEXUAL ABUSE
EFFECTIVE SCREENING:
KEEPING THE WOLF OUT OF
THE SHEEP PEN
By Gregory Love & Kimberlee Norris
Pastor Arrested for Molesting Teens in Youth Group
screamed a recent media headline in a heavily populated
metropolitan area.
Unfortunately, it’s not an anomaly; headlines detailing child
sexual abuse in ministry contexts occur almost daily.
T
he reality is daunting: one in four girls and one in six boys will
be sexually abused before reaching the age of 18. Two out of three
children don’t disclose abuse until adulthood, if ever.
These statistics don’t skip any socioeconomic status, geographic
location, ethnicity or spiritual paradigm. In one large study, the
average convicted male abuser who preferred female victims had an
average of 52 victims prior to prosecution. In the same study, the male
abuser who preferred male victims had an average of 150 victims.
Where children are gathered for ministry purposes, the risk of child
sexual abuse exists.
To effectively protect children and youth from sexual abuse, the
Church must learn to recognize the offender’s ‘grooming process’ and
undertake effective screening practices to weed out offenders, thereby
keeping the wolf out of the sheep pen.
Effective screening requires more than a criminal
background check
While background checks have become
a standard of care for child-serving
programs, they cannot be relied upon
as a standalone screening tool. Why?
Because less than 10% of sexual
abusers will encounter the criminal
justice system, ever. More than
90% of abusers have no record to
find, and they know it. A criminal
background check must be included
in the screening process but cannot
be relied upon to identify the
majority of abusers.
Effective screening is rooted in
an understanding of the offender’s
grooming process.
Sexual offenders come from all
segments of society. Sadly, some gain
access to children through church
programming. Abusers groom both
children and gatekeepers — trusted
adults in a child’s life — to convince
them that they are helpful,
18
CHURCH EXECUTIVE | JAN / FEB 2020
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS:
5 FACTS EVERY EXECUTIVE PASTOR
SHOULD KNOW
#1: Criminal background checks are no silver bullet.
Less than 10% of sexual predators will encounter the criminal justice
system. Criminal background checks cannot be relied upon as a
stand-alone screening system.
#2: Churches should be looking for plea-down or ‘red flag’ offenses.
Red flag offenses, such as providing alcohol to a minor, might reveal
grooming behaviors.
Plea-down offenses occur when an offense related to child sexual
abuse is pled down to a lesser or non-registration offense, such as
assault or indecency.
#3: There is no one-size-fits-all criminal background check.
Background checks should be keyed to ministry positions, so
that the depth of check matches the extent and type of direct
involvement with children.
#4: Ministries should clearly identify disqualifying offenses that
automatically preclude an applicant from serving with children.
Check your state law for any mandated list of disqualifying offenses.
#5: The national criminal database sold as the ‘basic’ package by
background check vendors has significant limitations and largely
incomplete data.
Consider adding a county search pulled directly from county
record-keepers. The majority of child sexual abuse and violent
crime cases are prosecuted at the county level.
Learn more about effective criminal background checks in our next “Stop
Sexual Abuse” Series installment, and at MinistrySafe.com.
trustworthy, responsible people. Validated by decades of
academic studies, the grooming process of the abuser is known
and recognizable. Ministries should evaluate each element of
the screening process with a thorough understanding of
the abuser’s grooming process, common grooming behaviors,
and known offender characteristics.
As an example, offenders often engage in kid-magnet
activities and hobbies which are attractive to children
within the offender’s age and gender of preference. If an
applicant demonstrates an unusually exclusive interest in
children’s activities when asked about interests or hobbies,
dig a little deeper into the applicant’s past interaction with
children, whether as an employee or volunteer.
Effective screening creates OPT-OUT opportunities
Skillful screening incorporates opt-out opportunities in the course
of the screening process, before the applicant has access to children.
When a ministry communicates current child protection practices
and protocols, from the beginning, it communicates to the abuser: It
might be easier somewhere else.
Applications should clearly state that all suspicions and allegations
of child abuse are immediately reported to civil authorities. The
Two-Adult Rule should be clearly communicated and followed.
Applicants should review and sign child protection policies