Summary: <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> You've heard about the me too movement. Now, there is the church too movement. But is abuse an institutional problem? What can be done to make churches safe for the most vulnerable?<br> <br> One church member states, "In 35 years of regular church attendance, I have never been exposed to any ethics training on abuse. I've always felt this was institutional denial and it is almost universal. But I have learned that there are good, well-developed materials available to combat this problem."<br> <br> Our culture and society have brought the #MeToo movement. Along those lines we hear about Penn State University, Michigan State University and the gymnasts with Larry Nassar--it's not only sometimes personal denial and family systems denial, but it can actually also be institutional denial. <br> <br> The statistics are alarming, with at least 2 out of every 10 girls and 1 out of 10 boys are estimated to be sexually abused before their 14th birthday <a href="childmolestationpreventioninstitute.org">(Child Molestation Prevention Institute)</a>. This shows the need for personal safety being taught as prevention of child sexual abuse. This can consist of learning boundaries as well as child-friendly language. Kids can learn to say no to unsafe touches in situations by protecting themselves with boundaries to prevent or stop sexual abuse. A prime place to teach this is in our churches because they have ties within the community.<br> Is Sexual Abuse An Institutional Issue?<br> Some church organizations do have policies that are already in place, like two adults need to be in a room with children at all times. It is best when everyone collectively knows the policy in order to ensure accountability and maintain adherence in all situations. But this is just the first step, as additional policies are usually needed to specifically protect children.<br> <br> <a href="westandguard.com">Kimberly Perry</a>, author of Say No and Tell: Training Grownups in Boundaries and Personal Safety for Kids, states, "We must really implement training into the very DNA and fabric of our church. What are we doing to prevent and get in front of this to help the next generation?"<br> <br> <br> She has recently created a new training manual for adults who serve in clergy and guidance positions. Kimberly explains that her training workbook is "designed for any grownups who are working with children's organizations." <br> <br> Overall, Perry states, "The training to help the adults working with kids about how to implement it in the organization to make it safer as an environment has been well-received. The positive feedback was very supportive and people were asking for more."<br> <br> How Teaching Personal Safety Combats Sexual Abuse<br> <br> Statistics also show that every 8 minutes, Child Protective Services responds to a sexual abuse report (<a href="https://www.rainn.org/">RAINN</a>). According to the CDC, 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls is sexually abused before the age of 18. Realizing the need for empowering children with self-care skills and personal safety tools is critical for their safety and well-being.<br> <br> As Perry explains, "What I like to tell parents is that the kids and grownups and organizations that learn about boundaries and personal safety can be safer, otherwise everyone is vulnerable. Even though there is great discomfort in pain, by taking the time to learn about preventing child sexual abuse,
