Bishop Vasa offers family-based alternative to 'safe touch' programs

May 14, 2009

Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, Oregon, has announced the completion of a family-oriented educational program that will be offered as an alternative to the "safe touch" programs that have been made mandatory in most American dioceses as a response to the sex-abuse scandal. Bishop Vasa has refused to adopt the most popular "safe touch" programs, saying that their explicit references to sexual issues constitute "an unjust infringement on parental rights and childhood innocence." His alternative, the "Healthy Families, Safe Children" program, is directed at helping parents to build secure bonds with their own children, thus protecting them from abusive relationships.

 

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Further information:

• Healthy Families, Safe Children
• Program to offer early alerts on possible abusers, victims (Catholic Sentinel)