Churches 'Too Trusting’ on Child Protection Issues, Says Author
A long time police officer has warned in a new book that churches are putting children at risk because they are "too trusting" toward sex offenders.
"Churches are far too trusting when it comes to sex offenders," says Rebecca Andrews, a police officer with many years of experience in child protection and pedophile units, in her book Policing Innocence.
Child abuse has come under the media spotlight again in recent weeks after the high profile case of missing nine-year-old school girl Shannon Matthews and a major police investigation into abuse at the Jersey children's home Haut de la Garenne. The abduction of the then three-year-old Madeleine McCann from her family's holiday apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007 also brought the issue of child protection to the fore.
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Mainstream churches, including the Church of England, have taken steps over the years to upgrade their child protection policy in the wake of damaging pedophilia cases. But child protection considerations must stretch beyond the walls of the church, according Andrews.
"Many of those on the sex offenders register say they go to church – but churches are not geared up to recognizing pedophiles or protecting the children in their care. Nor are the big annual events that attract thousands of children every year," she says.
"It is not enough to use CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks on everyone – they will only show up those who have been convicted – far, far more are never reported, caught, or convicted."
Andrews said churches must be "far more savvy when dealing with 'reformed' sex offenders – those who turn up claiming to have been converted, cured and expect to be treated the same as everyone else."
"If we don't take reformed alcoholics out to the pub for a celebratory pint, why do we put reformed sex offenders in positions where they can easily be tempted to reoffend – as well as risking our children?" she posed.
"Churches also rely heavily on having a policy in place – but policies are just pieces of paper. They are only as good as the resolve and shrewdness of the leaders responsible for them."
Policing Innocence has been acclaimed on nationwide BBC radio, and addresses subjects like the Justice System, parenting, the Internet, female abusers, the Sex Offenders Register and critically, why so many abusers target churches.
