On 2022 July 30, the District Council members and community directors of LEAD gathered online for a webinar on safeguarding and protection of minors and vulnerable adults. The invited speaker was Fr. John Era, CM, a Filipino priest who has over 20 years of experience in clinical mental health counseling and psychology, particularly in trauma & service.
He talked about the sexual abuse of the clergy and religious. He started off with the psychological and spiritual impacts that happen to the victims. He discussed also what happens to the offender, the laws he violated, and the psychological treatments he must undertake to prevent the acts from happening again. He pointed out warning signs of preferential offenders, such as finding reasons to spend time with minors, giving them gifts, going overboard in physical contact, and showing favoritism, among others.
Lastly, he gave recommendations for avoiding such incidents to happen in the future. He shared the Situational Crime Prevention (SCP) Framework, which focuses on increasing effort (for abuse to happen), increasing risk (extend guardianship), controlling prompts, and reducing permissibility
It was an enriching session for all the participants. As leaders in their respective communities and scopes of influence, it is their utmost responsibility to promote healthy boundaries and create a safe environment in all Lasallian communities, educational institutions, and various ministries. (Screenshots: Mr. Jyron Raz)
