Thank God for Youth Protection Standards

[qwazse]

I think we can thank a bunch of folks who wanted to learn from repeated wrongdoing. (Indirectly I guess we can thank God for church fathers who centuries earlier insisted that the Roman permissiveness regarding sex with boys should not be part of anybody's culture.)

 

YP puts us all on the same page, so without my SM having to ask awkwardly, my son and I will stick around until the last boy's parent comes and picks him up.

 

It changes the culture. Is it enough to protect every boy from predation? No. But it certainly gives the Joe Pa's of the world a decisive course of action when predation occurs on their watch.

[Stosh]

Beavah, Twocubs is correct, it's not going to prevent abuse, but it does go a long way of keeping it off my watch. I cannot be held responsible for others and their vigilance, but I can control my own. That's why everyone needs YPT, not just a few in each unit. It also doesn't mean I am absolved of any responsibility, but if all my adults are trained, there are more watchful eyes keeping tabs on it as well. The greater the awareness the less likely something will slip through the cracks.

 

If someone in a unit states there is no youth abuse in our troop, doesn't mean the potential for such abuse wasn't averted through the training. Like drivers' education, how many lives has that saved? How many accidents were prevented? There is no way that can be measured. If driving accidents go down does that mean there's a direct correlation between drivers' education and no training? Maybe, maybe not. One will never know. How many burglaries are prevented each year because of security lights? Again one can't measure something that does not happen.

 

Maybe with scouting YPT the abuse has gone over to the schools, civic organization or churches, but when the boys are in scouting, with the training, the amount of occurrences of abuse drop. Is it because of training? or maybe just a greater awareness in general of the problem. Either way, I don't care as long as the boys are safer today than they were yesterday.

 

Stosh

[eisely]

OGE,

 

I agree that coach Paterno was in a tough spot, but his position is a complete copout on his responsibilities. Merely pushing for a proper thorough investigation and notifying the authorities of a probable criminal act is not railroading anybody, unless the prosecutor and police are corrupt. Remember the Duke Lacrosse team fiasco? That did not involve minors, but fortunately the players' parents had the financial resources to fight the allegations, and the only person I am aware of who was actually convicted of anything is the now former DA.

[SSScout]

History: Youth are occasionally sexually assaulted by adults that have only their own desires and drives (however created) considered, and are thereby physically and psychologically injured, thru no fault of their own. This predation is often not immediately recognized or admitted for what it is. Youth and parents in the past have often not been aware of what to do or how to react.

This has led to legal suits and monetary loss for many organizations (not just BSA)because "they should've known better".

 

Desire: (1)Protect our youth from such sexual predation. (2)Catch and punish (or rehabilitate?) such predators. (3) prevent financial loss.

 

Method: (1)Educate our youth and parents and leaders to recognize and react to the symptoms and clues of such behavior. No one should have to say, "I didn't know what to do". This is akin to teaching first aid. How does one react to an injury? How to prevent such an injury in the future? Hardhats, heavy gloves, double switches on stamp presses, rubber mats, xray machines at airports, inspection standards for school bus brakes, all seek to do the same thing: prevent injuries that have occurred in the past. YPT shares the same idea: We know what happened in the past, we therefore know how to prevent it.

(2) Arrange the physical environment to prevent the appearance or actual act from happening. SM conferences in open, visible areas. Eliminate communal showers, make them youth only, adult only. Design policies for camping and hiking (two deep, no adult/child tenting, etc.).

YPT may not prevent the pedophile from plying his/her "hobby" (shudder) but it may help others from ignoring the signs and thereby give the pedofile second thoughts about doing it in a Scout context.

(3) Make it easy and EXPECTED that problems, acts, and questionable behavior will be reported to the authorities, both civil and BSA, for investigation and resulting reaction. Again, first aid: here's the injury, here's how one should react to it.

(4) YPT should also give our adult leaders pause to make sure there is no possibility of even the appearance of a chance of wrong behavior. Make the possibility as remote as possible. The perpetrator might not want to "take a chance", knowing so many educated (trained?) eyes are watching. I have had the "two deep" conversation more than onceabout trip planning. It colors all I do in youth connected venues.

 

Our Meeting has put in place YPT policies in no small part because of the BSA YPT my good wife took in Cub Scouts. She went so far as to purchase and show the video tape at discussions held about installing windows in classroom doors, making it NOT an automatic acceptance when a persn volunteers to teach First Day School, asking YF chaparones and camp staff to be criminally checked. The insurance company ended up insisting on such.

 

Is BSA doing the CYA thing? Absolutely, but the need and desire from the parents drove it, I think.

At least now, BSA can point to the YPT and say"see? We have done thjis much to prevent and protect." I am ultimately thankful.

[SSScout]

Here we are discussing Youth Protection, and the ad to my right is for a "Vampire Attacks" video game.

[packsaddle]

What am I doing wrong? I have never had one of those 'Bad Idea' ads and now I am missing vampire attacks? I demand vampires! Bring on the vampires!

[OldGreyEagle]

Hey Pack, I have always thought Twilight was the best time to watch wild animals. At Twilight time they seem to be more relaxed and you can see them in their natural habitat even if the twilight does make it harder to see. I thought the Platters made a great homage to Twilight

 

Heavenly shades of night are falling

It's twilight time

Out of the mist your voice is calling

It's twilight time

When purple colored curtains

Mark the end of the day

I hear you my dear at twilight time

 

Deepening shadows gather splendor

As day is done

Fingers of night will soon surrender

The setting sun

I count the moments darling

Till you're here with me

Together at last at twilight time

 

Here in the after-glow of day

We keep our rendez-vous beneath the blue

Here in the sweet and same old way

I fall in love again as I did then

 

Deep in the dark your kiss will thrill me

Like days of old

Lighting the spark of love that fills me

With dreams untold

Each day I pray for evening just

To be with you

Together at last at twilight time

 

Together at last at twilight time

 

I just hope I have enough wooden stakes handy to handle all the vampires...

[OldGreyEagle]

Remember, the Duke Lacrosse Scandal fell apart because the case fell apart because people lied. Not the alleged perps, in this case, they were not the ones lying. It was the accuser and the prosecuting attorney who lied.

[Jay K]

Yes, Praise HIS holy name.