Catholic schools amplify protection of children

A man who claims his dog is missing asks a child to help with the search, and the two disappear into the woods....Two teens are offered $50 to appear in an anti-drug video, but the men filming it have their cameras and microphones in a van in a store parking lot....An uncle camping with his nephew and friends sneaks into the nephew's tent at night, shushing the boy when he asks why.

Those disturbing scenes are the kinds of lures used by child molesters to find their victims.

"Child Lures," a program instituted by the Catholic schools of the Albany Diocese last October, uses video dramatizations of such scenarios and classroom lessons to help children learn to protect themselves from predators.

More education

Cathy Golas, director of prevention services for the diocesan Catholic Schools Office, noted that the schools already did anti-abuse education before adopting "Child Lures." Such education is required by both the U.S. bishops' "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," and New York State's standards for family life education.

The Diocesan School Board decided that, to be consistent, all the schools should start using the same program.

In addition, said Mrs. Golas, parents who attended the Virtus program (the Diocese's anti-abuse education for Church employees and volunteers who have contact with children) often said the information they received was helpful and they'd like to see a similar program for their children.

Training and guides

Training for teachers began in mid-October. A letter was sent home to parents alerting them about the program, along with a "parent guide" that included the information being taught.

Schools have held meetings for parents so they could see the seven-minute video ("Lures: What Would You Do?") that would be shown to students.

"Child Lures," developed by safety expert Ken Wooden, has existed for more than 20 years. The dioceses of Springfield, Massachusetts, and San Antonio, Texas, use the program; so does the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk school district.

Although the program is not a religious one, it promotes principles consistent with Church teaching: the dignity of the human person, for instance, and the need to respect one's body.

For all kids

Mrs. Golas said that "Child Lures" is one of the few anti-abuse programs that can be used from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Children in elementary school learn about recognizing and refusing lures and reporting abuse; those in the higher grades get more lessons on relationships, including how to prevent date rape, sexual assault, incest and molestation -- and reporting such incidents if they occur.

The program is broken up into about 20 lessons, most of which take only 10 or 15 minutes during a school day. Several schools have also ordered program materials in Spanish.

Common lures

In the lessons, children learn about more than a dozen lures commonly used by abusers to seduce victims, from threats to games (see sidebar).

The program reiterates several times that most adults are not seeking to hurt children, but it calls abusers "stormy-weather" people who should be avoided. Children are encouraged to trust their minds and instincts in deciding whether a situation seems dangerous.

Mrs. Golas said that the point of "Child Lures" is to "reduce risk and increase protective factors: things that keep kids from becoming involved in illegal or risky behavior."

It's no longer enough for families to tell children not to talk to strangers, or to rely on using "code words" that only family and friends would know in case of emergency, she added, because predators are often people the child already knows.

The program "gets away from" older concepts of abusers and "really looks at the idea of encouraging families to talk to each other."

Samples of some common lures used by predators

1. Affection (touching areas that would covered by a bathing suit);

2. Assistance (asking for help with directions, looking for a lost pet etc.);

3. Authority (showing fake badges, saying they work for law enforcement or the fire department);

4. Bribery (giving toys, candy or other enticements);

5. Ego/Fame (taking pictures, offering contracts for modeling or commercials as long as parents aren't involved);

6. Emergencies (claiming a home is on fire or a parent is hurt, then taking a child to another location);

7. Fun and Games (play with bodily contact);

8. Heroes (people viewed as celebrities preying on children);

9. Jobs (offers of work without parental supervision);

10. Name Recognition (learning a child's name and using it to imply familiarity);

11. Playmates/Companions (getting children to bring friends to the abuser);

12. Threats/Fear (using intimidation or weapons to get children not to tell about abuse);

13. Drugs (lowering children's inhibitions to gain control of them);

14. Computer (visiting chat rooms, exchanging messages with children, sharing pornography online, asking to meet).

Five key concepts in new program

1. Assuring children that most adults are concerned about their safety;

2. Explaining lures that predators use;

3. Fostering dignity and self-esteem;

4. Teaching children to recognize and follow their instincts;

5. Reminding them that abuse is against the law (and that false allegations are also against the law).

(2/3/05)