CONCORD, N.H. -- Four Roman Catholic dioceses have launched a pilot sex abuse prevention training program to help church workers, clergy and volunteers spot abuse, according to the Associated Press.
"Protecting God's Children" features videos with frank discussions of abuse by victims and child molesters. Created by the National Catholic Services Association, which provides insurance to the Catholic Church, the program is part of the church's response to a growing sex abuse scandal. Currently it's offered in Concord, N.H., Newark, N.J., Kansas City, Mo., and Tulsa, Okla.
Participants learn how to identify signs of abuse, how and when to report their suspicions, what happens when they do and what the church and law require of them, diocese spokesman Patrick McGee said. The program is expected to be used throughout the United States, he said.
