Hawaii Catholic Herald
Every April, the Catholic Church in the U.S. marks Child Abuse Prevention Month to highlight the importance of protecting children and preventing abuse.
Spearheaded by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection, the initiative offers resources to dioceses, parishes and schools so they can support and inform the community.
Though one month of the year is dedicated to elevating this critical topic, keeping kids safe is an ongoing endeavor. To that end, the Diocese of Honolulu and other dioceses and archdioceses in the U.S. maintain offices and personnel to ensure continuing compliance and education.
In Hawaii, the Office of Safe Environment and Charter Compliance implements and oversees the diocesan response to the USCCB’s “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” which was promulgated in 2002 as the U.S. church’s sexual abuse crisis came to light.
One of the office’s responsibilities is to provide guidance and assistance in the process for victims to report allegations of suspected abuse. It also takes a proactive approach in ensuring that the diocese is in compliance with the charter and in supporting parishes, schools and ministries, according to director Kristin Leandro.
The Safe Environment office manages the annual audit process that examines dioceses’ alignment with the USCCB charter, visiting select parishes and schools to assess their compliance with Safe Environment protocols. In addition, it facilitates training, both virtual and in-person, for individuals who will be working with or near young people.
Leandro added that more than 2,500 people serving in the diocese have “completed a criminal background check, acknowledged the Diocese of Honolulu’s Safe Environment policy and Code of Conduct, and completed child abuse prevention training.”
The diocese’s human resources office is responsible for overseeing background checks. Other diocesan offices also contribute to child safety efforts, including the offices of the bishop, vicar general, clergy, evangelization and catechesis, and Hawaii Catholic Schools.
Lisa Gomes, director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, said that “being proactive about preventing abuse of children and youth flows directly from our belief that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and deserves to be protected and respected.”
“Safeguards such as background screening, Safe Environment training and codes of conduct for adults as well as ongoing education for children, youth and their parents play an important role in creating a culture of awareness, accountability and trust,” Gomes added. “These measures help ensure that our ministries, especially those involving young people, are safe places where individuals can grow in their faith.”
Leandro said it is important to be proactive with child abuse prevention efforts in order to stop harm before it occurs: “The effects of child abuse on a human being can be long-lasting and devastating.”
The importance of educating parents, plus the rising influence and threat of the digital realm, are other topics that the USCCB highlights in its Child Abuse Prevention Month resources. To learn more, visit www.usccb.org/committees/protection-children-young-people.