Protecting Against Abuse At Summer Camps
With summer on the horizon and
talk about camp plans at a feverish pitch, this time of year is one of
excitement for many. But it can be stressful for those of us who work
with sexual abuse survivors.
Just a few years ago I wrote about a man
that I was treating who had been sexually abused by a counselor in a
sleepaway camp when he was in his early teens. I never mentioned his
name nor the name of the camp. But after the piece was published, I was
inundated with letters, e-mails and calls from other men — older and
younger than he — telling me about their similar experiences.
In
all, more than 100 people contacted me. About 30 of them had been to
the same camp and were abused by the same counselor who had been
promoted over the years to head counselor. It was an open secret that he
would select campers to go skinny dipping with him late at night and
would abuse them. Still, he was revered by many at the camp.
That abusive man has since passed on. But
stories like that do not. There are many similar cases, and while there
is a significant effort to prevent abuse through stricter policies and
more robust vetting, it is a given that abuse will likely continue to
occur.
Last summer I was informed of two situations
at sleepaway camps where abuse occurred. Both of those took place at
camps that have anti-harassment and abuse policies – an absolute must.
What is most often missing, though, is the necessary supervision of camp
employees, the need to believe a person who finally feels strong and
comfortable enough to report that he or she was abused, and the proper
education of children who go off to camp. While it would be a fool’s
errand to believe that all abuse can be eradicated, it is these three
areas — staff supervision, believing victims and educating children that
can provide the most effective buffer against abusers.
It is a mistake to think that abusers are easy
to identify. They do not hide, nor do they dress in specific ways. They
are often well-regarded individuals who take pride in giving the
impression that they are engaged in charitable work and care deeply for
children. Without proper screening and constant supervision, abusers
will not be identified and will have open access to children.
Unfortunately, far too often children who are
abused are not believed. As documented in the recent book “A False
Report: A True Story of Rape in America” abused children are often
bullied into recanting their reports of the maltreatment they received.
It took many years and dogged determination of some of the survivors of
Dr. Larry Nassar to finally have their day in court in the Olympic
gymnast scandal. The Nassar case provides evidence that abusers tend to
harm as many victims as they possibly can. It used to be estimated that
men who abuse can have between 10 and 50 victims. Nassar may have had
over 250 victims. Still, many of those victims were not initially
believed despite the evidence, simply because Nassar was held in high
esteem.
Preparing children to protect themselves under
any circumstance is no easy task. It is often uncomfortable for a
parent to be able to have a direct talk with their own child. Still it
must be done in an age appropriate manner, using the correct bodily
terms and instructing a child to turn to someone trustworthy should the
child feel threatened – not always easy in a sleepaway camp. For that
reason, it is imperative for parents to take their time selecting the
best camping program with directors and counselors who have been
evaluated and have a track record of running a well supervised program.
I went to sleepaway camp for several years as a
pre-teen and teenager. At one of the camps I attended the camp
directors floated in and out of camp activities on a regular basis and
checked bunks, bathrooms and the areas around the fields every night at
random times. They were diligent in taking care of their campers. At a
different camp, one with more porous supervision, I heard later that
several campers had been sexually molested by staff for several years
after I had been a camper there.
To create a consistent approach to protect the
wellbeing of campers, ASAP, a non-profit organization that addresses
issues of abuse in the Jewish community, has several free guides
available online for directors and counselors (www.asap.care)
Parents should request that camps they choose for their children
adhere to the training and certification the ASAP program has
promulgated.
Abuse can take place anywhere, anytime. We can
do our best to prevent it if we, as parents, camp administration and
staff do our diligence, follow through to create a safe environment and
educate our children.
Dr. Michael J. Salamon is a fellow of the
American Psychological Association and the author of numerous articles
and books, most recently “Abuse in the Jewish Community” (Urim
Publications).
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