Training Contents

In today's world, it is not uncommon to see a report of sexual abuse of minors in the news. Places that were once considered safe, such as elementary schools, sports camps and even churches have been associated with potential abuse. To protect minor children (under the age of eighteen) who participate in activities and programs on college land and facilities, or under the authority and direction of the college, Catawba College has implemented a Minors Policy in Catawba College Programs.

Who Must Comply With The Policy?
The Policy for Minors in Catawba College Programs affects all units of the college, such as athletic camps, academic camps, other programs, and similar activities intended for minors. Specifically the policy applies to all adults who:

• Interact with minors or work in programs that take place on college land or facilities
• Work under the authority and direction of Catawba College at other locations
• Work as Catawba employees and who interact with minor children.

For the purposes of the training and this document, the adults (either internal or external to Catawba) who will interact with minor children as part of an activity or program as defined by the policy will be referred to as "program staff member." A program staff member can be Catawba faculty, Catawba employees, employees of the program that sponsor the activity at Catawba, or a volunteer.

Who Is Exempted from This Policy?
Enrolled Catawba students who are minors.

What Do I Have To Do?
To meet the requirements of the policy, the program staff member (you) must complete this workbook as your training and pass an annual assessment with at least seventy percent accuracy before working with minors.

This workbook will provide information about the policy, information about potential abuse, possible scenarios and situations, and Check Your Understanding questions with a key. These Check Your Understanding questions and answers will be very similar to the assessment questions.

Screening Program Staff Members
The Policy for Minors in Catawba College Programs requires that a criminal background check is performed for all program staff members before the individual works with minors. This check must be conducted each year for all program staff members. The program director works with Catawba Human Resources to request the criminal background check on all adults, including but not limited to, faculty, staff, students, and volunteers, who work with, instruct or otherwise come into contact with minors. If the check reveals a criminal record, the program director will refer the program staff member's application to Catawba Human Resources for evaluation.

After completing this training, you will be able to:

• Protect minor children who participate in activities and programs
• Act as a positive role model and avoid putting yourself in a risky situation
• Successfully pass the policy assessment

The Facts about Sexual Abuse                                    
Most people consider child sexual abuse to be unacceptable behavior. At the same time, one in four girls and one in six boys experience sexual abuse before their eighteenth birthday.

Therefore, we have to assume that child sexual abuse is happening to both boys and girls in our community today. Sexual abuse thrives in an environment where adults are inattentive, in denial, or afraid to take action. We must actively work to prevent it. We must take steps to create a safe environment for minors. The earlier that abuse is caught, the better the chance of recovery for the minor.

What is Sexual Abuse?
Sexual abuse is any sexual act between an adult and a minor or between two minors when one exerts power over the other. There can be no case of a consensual act between an adult and a minor due to the inherent power dynamic. Forcing, coercing, or persuading a child to engage in any type of sexual contact is sexual abuse. However, sexual abuse doesn't always involve bodily contact. If an adult engages in any sexual behavior with a child to meet the adult's sexual interest or needs, it is sexual abuse. Exhibitionism, exposure to pornography, voyeurism, sexting, and other communication in a sexual manner over the phone or internet is sexual abuse. Sexual abuse can occur between members of the opposite sex or members of the same sex. Sexual abuse is a crime. Aiding and abetting a sexual offender is also a crime.

What Is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment is unwelcome verbal or physical sexual conduct which because of its severity and/or persistence interferes significantly with an individual's work or education, or adversely affects an individual's living conditions. Harassment also occurs when a person uses a position of authority to engage in unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Warning Signs                                    
A warning sign is an opportunity for prevention and a chance for you to recognize a risk to a minor. Sexually abused children may display a wide range of physical or emotional symptoms. While these symptoms do not necessarily indicate that child sexual abuse has happened, they combine to raise your level of concern about the situation. Sometimes there are no warning signs. Warning signs differ by the age of the minor. You should be aware of the following possible warning signs.

Emotional or Behavioral Signs

• Sexual behavior that is not appropriate for the child's age
• Sexual language that is not appropriate for the child's age
• Withdrawal
• Depression
• Unexplained anger
• Rebellion
• Refusal to be left alone
• Finding reasons not to go home
• Finding reasons to avoid being with a specific person that the minor used to spend time with
• Problems sleeping such as nightmares or sleepwalking
• Bed-wetting or bowel-movement accidents in children who have previously out grown it
• Fire-setting
• Self-destructive behavior
• Suicidal gestures
• Self-mutilation
• Running away
• Making degrading comments about themselves and considering themselves as "damaged goods"
• Falling grades or a change in school behavior
• Using alcohol or drugs

Portrait of an Abuser                                    
A myth of sexual abuse is that the abusers are usually strangers. On the contrary, most child sexual abusers are known to the victim. The abuser could be a family member, friend of the family, teacher, older youth, or coach. In addition, one third of all child sexual abuse is committed by another child under the age of eighteen. Some abusers are careful and calculated about the process they take to earn the victim's trust. This process of slowly introducing a child to sexual activity is called grooming. These abusers set up the situation so that they can take advantage of the child. They become friends with potential victims and their families. They earn trust and seek time alone with the children. Sometimes they spend time doing what the child wants. Sometimes, they give gifts. Their goal is to spend time with the child in one adult and one child situations. Then, they may threaten or force the child to participate in sexual contact and maintain secrecy. Another kind of abuser is a situational offender. They take advantage of the situation and opportunity to find and abuse a  victim. These abusers are impulsive and abuse minors to meet their own sexual or control needs.

The Effects of Abuse                                    
The most damaging effects of child abuse are the emotional effects. Abused children can blame themselves, lack trust, and have difficulties forming relationships into adulthood. Often, these children feel that they are worthless or damaged at their core. As an adult, this may cause the victim to fall short of reaching his or her potential. Also, abused children have trouble regulating their emotions. As they grow into adults, they can struggle with emotions and turn to drugs or alcohol. While not every abused child repeats the cycle as an adult, these children are more at risk for abusing their own children as an adult. The effects of child sexual abuse affect not only the individual, but the community, and the future community.

Overall Behaviors                                         
Catawba College expects adults to be positive role models for minors. As a program staff member, you are the eyes and ears of the program or activity. You can protect children by behaving appropriately and monitoring the behavior of other program staff members and program participants. As the program staff member, you should avoid behaviors that could cause harm or be misinterpreted.
                                      

DO NOT

Meetings
Most sexual abuse incidents happen in one adult and one child situations. If you eliminate one adult and one child situations, you reduce the risk of abuse.

• Do not be alone with a single minor.
• Do not meet with minors outside of established times for Program activities.

If one-on-one interaction is required, meet in open, well illuminated spaces or rooms with windows observable by other adults from the program, unless the one-on-one interaction is expressly authorized by the program director, dean, department chairperson or is being undertaken by a health care provider. To meet with a minor outside of established times for program activities, get written parental authorization. This meeting must include more than one adult from the program.

Watch For                                         
Watch for older children or adults who take younger children to secret places or hideaways. Watch for older children or adults who have younger favorites with whom they want to spend time exclusively. Program directors should consider ensuring that adults supervise older children serving younger children. Program directors, other trusted adults, or parents should be able to observe a program activity at any time.

Your Home                                         
Do not invite individual minors to your home. Any exceptions require authorization by the program director and written authorization by a parent or guardian.

Communications

• Do not engage or allow minors to engage you in romantic or sexual conversations or related matters, unless required in the role of resident advisors, counselors, or health care providers.
• Do not engage or communicate with minors through email, text messages, social networking websites, internet chat rooms, or other forms of social media at any time except and unless there is an educational or programmatic purpose and the content of the communication is consistent with the mission of the program and the college.

Touching                                         
Touching should generally only be in the open and in response to the minor's needs, for a purpose that is consistent with the Program's mission and culture, and/or for a clear educational, developmental, or health related purpose, such as the treatment of an injury.

Many children are taught that it is not okay to touch any  part that covers where the child wears a bathing suit. These are the private areas. If you must touch a child, ask if it is okay to touch first. Children have the  permission and power to say "No" to any unwanted or uncomfortable touch. Any resistance from the minor should be respected.

If restraint is necessary to protect a minor or other minors from harm, all incidents must be documented and disclosed to the program director and the minor's parent or guardian.

• Do not touch minors in a manner that a reasonable person could interpret as inappropriate.
• Do not engage in any abusive conduct of any kind toward, or in the presence of, a minor including but not limited to verbal abuse, striking, hitting, punching, poking, spanking, or restraining.

Watch For                                         
Watch for other adults who make children uncomfortable by ignoring their personal space limits. Beware of adults who want to touch, tickle or wrestle with a child when the child does not want physical contact or attention.

Alcohol and Drugs                                         
Do not use, possess or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while on duty or when responsible for a minor's welfare.

Transportation                                         
When transporting minors in a program, more than one adult  from the program must be present in the vehicle, except when multiple minors will be in the vehicle at all times through the transportation. Avoid using personal vehicles, if possible.

Weapons                                         
Do not possess of or use of any type of weapon or explosive device.

Failure to Comply                                         
Failure to comply with the Catawba policy may lead to disciplinary action and/or revocation of the opportunity to use college facilities and land. Therefore, the entire program or activity may be restricted based on the actions of a single program staff member.

In addition, if you are accused of sexual abuse of a minor, you will be subject to the appropriate investigations and actions by the criminal justice and social services systems. These actions are separate and apart  from the college policy and process.

Reporting Potential  Abuse                                         
Remember that child sexual abuse thrives in an environment where adults are inattentive, in denial, or afraid to take action. We must actively work to prevent it. We must actively work to create a safe environment for children. The earlier that abuse is caught, the better the chance of recovery for the child.

Child Self-Reporting                                         
Fewer than one in ten children will report the abuse. Yet, most of these children carry the emotional scars and guilt of the abuse for the rest of their lives. A child may tell a trusted adult about sexual abuse. If you are the adult, your reaction may be key in beginning the healing process for the child.

1. Believe the child. Preteen children rarely make false accusations about sexual abuse.
2. Remain calm. Don't panic. Listen. If you respond in a judgmental way, the child may refuse to tell more.
3. Ask open-ended questions, such as "What happened next?" Don't ask leading questions and don't press for details.
4. Thank the child for having the courage to tell you about the situation.
5. Tell the child that it is not the child's fault. Remember that the adult is always responsible for his or her behavior.

Think about situations in which a child may tell you about abuse, and have a response plan in case it happens. That way you can control your emotional response better and be ready to help the child.