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Responding to Abuse

Reporting & Responding

Secrecy is the playground of the abuser. The church must create a culture of communication with respect to abuse: reporting to supervisors and criminal authorities, where appropriate.

Secrecy is the playground of the abuser. The church must create a culture of communication with respect to abuse: reporting to supervisors and criminal authorities, where appropriate.

Reporting to Authorities
Each state has mandatory child abuse reporting laws. Each Nazarene ministry leader should understand the mandatory reporting laws AND communicate those requirements to all staff members and volunteers working with children. To learn what requirements exist, go to www.childwelfare.gov.

Reporting to Supervisors
Each Nazarene ministry should implement policies & procedures to reduce the risk of sexual abuse. In addition to understanding and following the laws regarding the report of abuse to law enforcement, all staff members and volunteers must understand what should be reported to supervisors. Of course, if an outcry or event is reported law enforcement, it should be communicated to a supervisor. In addition, staff members and volunteers should report policy violations and suspicious behavior to supervisors.

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The purpose of this information is to raise abuse awareness and provide a resource for developing appropriate guidelines and procedures for protecting minors and preventing sexual misconduct in the church.
As relevant laws vary, districts and local churches are responsible for ensuring compliance with the specific legal requirements for their locality and situation. Nazarene Safe™ resources are made available as a starting point only. The resources Nazarene Safe™ provides are not warranted to comply with the legal requirements of any particular state or locale and are not intended to be used "as is" without appropriate adaptations to ensure material compliance with applicable law. Local churches should consult their insurance carrier and legal counsel for guidance when developing and implementing a safety plan.