Merit Badge Counselor youth protection

[Basementdweller]

True...but when Lawyers come in they will split hairs on rules. It's also called grooming. Both Scouts could be getting groomed for all the wrong reasons. Things happen when people are not watching. Having an adult there is a barrier.

I don't see where it says the perp was 16 at the time of the rapes....

[koolaidman]

True...but when Lawyers come in they will split hairs on rules. It's also called grooming. Both Scouts could be getting groomed for all the wrong reasons. Things happen when people are not watching. Having an adult there is a barrier.

The link in the second paragraph goes to another story about the perp's admission. It states the abuse happened in 2010, so he was either 15 or 16 at the time:

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2013/08/former_eagle_scout_admits_abus.html

[qwazse]

True...but when Lawyers come in they will split hairs on rules. It's also called grooming. Both Scouts could be getting groomed for all the wrong reasons. Things happen when people are not watching. Having an adult there is a barrier.

Not necessarily a violation, but certainly a YPT failure

[Scouter99]

True...but when Lawyers come in they will split hairs on rules. It's also called grooming. Both Scouts could be getting groomed for all the wrong reasons. Things happen when people are not watching. Having an adult there is a barrier.

I don't see where it says the perp was 16 at the time of the rapes....

"orally sodomized boys ages 11, 12 and 13 in three separate incidents during 2010." He's 19 now, you do the math. Sounds like he probably waited til they were asleep then got nasty. Here's his personal website http://jacobwittren.tripod.com/id9.html

 

I would swear that in the past I saw a caveat about not letting boys of very large age differences tent together in either the GtSS or YP Training, but I can't find it anymore.

 

Anyway, the case isn't a failure of either barrier-to-abuse rule and has nothing to do with this question.

[Tampa Turtle]

I have taken chairs outside to make sure I was not "behind closed doors". Within visual range of others but not in earshot.

[qwazse]

I have taken chairs outside to make sure I was not "behind closed doors". Within visual range of others but not in earshot.

If it can be done without being a distraction to the boys, you should do it.

 

TT, I know some places "in visual range of others" in your neck of the woods that at certain times (e.g. Spring Break) would pose a serious distraction.

[King Ding Dong]

I have taken chairs outside to make sure I was not "behind closed doors". Within visual range of others but not in earshot.

Good time to work on the Textile MB.

[Tampa Turtle]

We have had some...distracting..practice hikes along the Pinellas beaches. The older boys usually give some sort alert and we struggle to manage decorum.. One hike the hike reports had differing comments on "notable things observed during the hike". The younger boys wrote "the cool dead turtle" and the older boys "the topless sunbather".

[ghermanno]

The emphasis is that the youth bring a buddy. Please CYA by ensuring that the YOUTH brings another person, be it his family, friend or whatever. If you provide the "other" person you still leave yourself open to accusations and YP problems.

 

"A Scout first expresses an interest in a particular merit badge by letting his unit leader know. To get him started, the leader gives him a signed Application for Merit Badge (blue card) along with the name and contact information for a district/council approved merit badge counselor. The Scout then contacts the merit badge counselor and makes an appointment. The merit badge counselor sets a date and time to meet with the Scout and his buddy, and may suggest the Scout bring the merit badge pamphlet along with the blue card."

 

I added the emphasis from the BSA documentation and you can find it here: Download Guide for Merit Badge Counseling, No. 34532