Catholic group to study value of sex abuse education programs

Published: 2006-01-05

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A Catholic Medical Association study of the value of church sex abuse prevention educational programs for children should be finished by April, said the head of the task force conducting the study. A main concern of many parents, bishops, priests and educators is that the "safe-environment" programs may be replacing the role of the parents as the primary teachers of their children regarding sex education, said Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons, a psychiatrist and chairman of the task force. The study focuses only on programs that teach children and not on those that instruct clergy and lay adults who work with children, he told Catholic News Service. Teresa Kettelkamp, executive director of the U.S. bishops' Office of Child and Youth Protection, told CNS that "safe-environment" programs respect the primary role of the parents. Dioceses are encouraged to work with parents in establishing programs and parents can opt out of having their children participate in the programs, she said. If parents opt out, the diocese is encouraged to give them teaching materials so that they can discuss the issue with their children, she said. Fitzgibbons and Kettelkamp were interviewed Jan. 4 after the Catholic Medical Association announced formation of the task force.

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