Because We Care... Diocesan Office for the Protection of Children and Young People
April is National Child Abuse Awareness
A Safety Net for Social Networking Ravenous sexual offenders stalk technology looking for innovative ways to prey upon our vulnerable young people. Social networking sites provide better, faster and costeffective ways of interacting at home, school and business. Every day there seems to be a new site developed to improve our ability to connect with one another: Twitter, Facebook, Skype, instant messaging, and texting are a few that come to mind. The task is to explore how to take advantage of these technologies without sacrificing safety.
Diocese of Rockville Centre
Consider these facts:
William F. Murphy Bishop of Rockville Centre
95% of arrests for Internet sex crimes cents. 99% of the were considered non victims are 13-17 violent. years of age. The older youngster enWhat that figure gages in more intertells us is that ofactive Internet use fenders want to which puts them at develop a relationgreater risk. ship and they will work at it. Offenders use the Internet to “groom” children.
Many of the targeted youngsters are having other problems and are On-line offenders engaging in high typically target risk online behavolder children who iors such as sex are experiencing talk, visiting porn difficulty. Rememsites, and sending ber the offender in personal informathe Virtus training tion to strangers session? The ice skating rink worker they meet on line. would always try to Go to www.drvc.org allow the youngster to review the many to do what was for- helpful suggestions bidden by the parfor addressing ents. these issues with young people. On-line offenders target older adoles-
Protection Prayer - Let us pray for our children and young
people
Jesus, who invites the children to come to him, protect our children. Strengthen them in time of danger, heal them in time of sorrow Give them laughter and delight, restore their innocence For such is the kingdom of heaven.
April 2011 Issue 9 Special points of interest: • This is the 9th in a series of educational newsletters that the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Office of the Protection of Children and Young People provides for parents and volunteers. • In October 2010, the Gavin Group, Inc. an independent audit team found the Diocese of Rockville Centre in full compliance with Charter of the Protection of Children and Young People. • For the 2011 audits the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have selected a new independent audit firm, The StoneBridge Business Partners to inspect each diocese for compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.