Providing safety to vulnerable people

Territorial Commander, Commisioner Robert Donaldson, asks people to be more intentional in protecting people from abuse.

No church can allow itself to be naïve about the reality that sexual predators may exist in its midst. All we have to do is a Google-search for ‘sex abuse in the church’ to see the damage experienced by people who thought they’d be safe among those proclaiming God’s love and care. Too many people have had their trust in the church and in God’s people violated. They have been hurt emotionally, physically and spiritually—with far-reaching consequences.

The Salvation Army has had its own abuse cases. This is to the shame of our movement. Some allegations have been examined by the court, and appropriate justice meted out when an offender has been found guilty.

Where victims have not wanted to pursue the court process (for whatever reason), we have worked with them confidentially, offering counselling and support and, where appropriate, have compensated them for the suffering they have experienced.

To all who have suffered at the hands of anyone connected with The Salvation Army, I want to offer my deepest apology. Such abuse is without defence.

Jesus calls us to love and serve, to bring healing and not harm. In Jesus’ ministry we see him call the ‘little children’ to himself (Luke 18:16). To me, these ‘little children’ include those especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. In Mark 9:42, Jesus issues a stern warning, saying: ‘If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.’ Let there be no doubt in our minds that there is no tolerance in God’s Kingdom for anyone who causes harm to his children.

Over recent years, this territory has focused on strengthening our processes around the protection of vulnerable people. This includes those who provide pastoral/ministry services to or interact with the following groups:
children and young people

• Community Ministries clients
• Family Store customers
• addiction or accommodation service clients
• those with mental or physical disabilities
• the elderly.

‘Safe to Serve’ training and accreditation is required for all those working with people under 18 years of age. This includes agreeing to a strict Code of Conduct. Codes of Conduct and Codes of Ethics also exist for those working in other areas of the Army’s work, including in our Addiction, Supportive Accommodation and Reintegration Service, along with HomeCare, and Education and Employment.  

Additionally, everyone applying to become an employed or volunteer staff member of The Salvation Army who will work with vulnerable people is required to undergo a Police Check.

Police Checks screen for all past criminal convictions, including sexual offences. They are reviewed every three years, but it is important officers and managers remain vigilant in this area. If someone at your corps or centre started in a role that didn’t require a Police Check, but moves into a role that has contact with vulnerable people or has new responsibilities that requires such contact, they need to undergo a Police Check. We do not want anyone to slip through the cracks, because this could expose people to the risk of harm.

Those who come to The Salvation Army need to feel confident that the people they are dealing with are trustworthy and don’t present a risk to them or other members of their family. Consider those looking for in-home assistance for an aging parent through our HomeCare service, for example. If we were to put ourselves in their shoes, we would want to know that every reasonable precaution is being taken to make sure that our mum or dad is safe.

I understand the reluctance of some to undergo Police Checks, particularly for a role or service in which they have given faithful service for years. Let me reassure you: this request is not usually made because someone has a concern about a particular individual; it is because as an organisation we have made a promise to the community. It’s important for us to have consistency and integrity across our entire organisation, and we just cannot make exceptions. Please do not be offended if you are asked to fill in the forms for a Police Check. You are helping us keep our promise that the Army is a safe place to be.

In March, an updated Salvation Army policy Minute on the ‘Management of Sex Offenders (Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour) in Salvation Army Fellowships’ was released. This is designed to protect all those who come into contact with The Salvation Army from the risk of sexual offending. It is used in conjunction with ‘The Salvation Army Sexual Misconduct Policies and Complaints Procedures Manual’.

I cannot overemphasise to officers and centre managers the importance of being familiar with this Minute and the related manual. It is always stressful when an incident or accusation of abuse occurs. The Personnel Section at Territorial Headquarters has worked hard to provide steps that you can follow in an objective and thorough manner at such times. We don’t want anyone to feel that they need to use their own best judgement to make decisions; we want to follow best practice to minimise the risk of any errors of judgement and to protect local people from pressure.

The deceptive nature of those who seek to abuse children and adults leads them to disguise their activities. Sometimes this has caused people within The Salvation Army to disbelieve those who have expressed concerns about what has happened to them, or to ignore their own suspicions about another’s actions. Whenever there are concerns, these are to be investigated properly.

Of course, given the terrible stigma that unfounded accusations of abuse can cause, it is essential that the reporting of concerns and any subsequent investigation is done in a highly confidential manner that doesn’t perpetuate gossip or defamation. There are times when people, for whatever reasons, make spurious and damaging allegations that are later proved to be untrue. We need to ensure protection for our people in this regard as well.

As a Christian community, The Salvation Army wants to be a place of grace and forgiveness, allowing space for those who have offended to be rehabilitated and eventually restored. The updated Minute provides guidelines for how to manage those who have engaged in inappropriate sexual behaviour and those exhibiting concerning behaviour so their wellbeing is supported—but not in such a way that causes further harm to anyone else or to the Army’s reputation. When someone has offended against another person, there are consequences to their actions, and we do not want to extend a cheap and easy grace that overlooks the damage experienced by victims.

In this territory, the promise to ‘care for people’ is at the heart of our mission. I want to emphasise the need to honour this promise to everyone associated with The Salvation Army: our officers, soldiers, staff, volunteers and all who call The Salvation Army their spiritual home. While we will never be able to say with 100 per cent certainty that abuse cannot happen in The Salvation Army, I believe that as we cooperate with one another to become more careful and more aware, we will continue to create a culture that better protects people.

If you have concerns about sexual misconduct or criminal sexual behaviour in The Salvation Army, go to www.salvationarmy.org/complaints for advice on how to report this.

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by Commissioner Robert Donaldson (c) 'War Cry' magazine 16 May 2015, pp18-19
You can read 'War Cry' at your nearest Salvation Army church or centre, or subscribe through Salvationist Resources.