Five things I learned from Scouting America’s Safeguarding Youth Symposium

Scouting America’s Safeguarding Youth Symposium, held last week in the offices of the Las Vegas Area Council, was a gathering of some of the world’s foremost experts in the prevention of child abuse and exploitation.

In addition to Scouting America employees and volunteers, the event was open to anyone who works in a youth-serving organization to help provide them the knowledge, tools and resources needed to safeguard the well-being of young people in their care.

Among the speakers was clinical and forensic psychologist Michael Bourke, Scouting America Chief Safeguarding Officer Glen Pounder, and Scouting America National Executive Board member and Safeguarding Youth Committee chair Frank Tsuru. They were joined by a host of experts from, literally, across the globe.

I had the privilege of attending the event myself. Here are five things I learned that would be helpful for any parent or Scouting America volunteer.

“This is not a static issue”

Simon Bailey has served as a police officer in the United Kingdom for 35 years. He also held the position of National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for child protection, during which time he led the law enforcement response to online threats and the investigation of non-recent child sexual exploitation.

Bailey spoke about how the challenge of protecting children is constantly evolving due to societal changes and technological advancements.

“This is not a static issue,” Bailey said. “We are never going to be able to check a box that says, ‘We’re done.’ The challenge is also going to be there.

“But if you put the right safeguards in place, you can make a huge difference.”

“A survivor should be believed”

More likely than not, a child who has survived abuse or exploitation was told by their abuser that no one would believe them if they reported the abuse.

“A survivor who has the courage to come forward should be believed,” Bailey said. “If anyone comes to you and says, ‘I need tell you something,’ the first thing you should say is, ‘I believe you.’”

“We’re all mandatory reporters”

Jordan Greenbaum is the medical director of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children and a physician specializing in child protection. Greenbaum listed the signs of online exploitation everyone should be looking for:

• Child excessively mentioning an adult they haven’t met in person
• Child having gifts of unknown origin
• Child being secretive about how they are spending time online
• A child with age-inappropriate knowledge
• A child who is withdrawn, upset or outraged after using the internet or texting
• Child has new phone numbers, texts or email addresses on their phone

Greenbaum also explained why it’s a good idea to believe any child who makes an outcry.

“An innocent adult is better able to handle the stress of an investigation than a kid is able to handle being abused,” she said. “As adults, we’re all mandatory reporters, but we don’t have to conduct an investigation.

“When in doubt, make a report and let the experts decide.”

Scouts, parents, registered leaders, friends, etc., can report concerns via text to phone number 1-844-SCOUTS1, using a protected and anonymous platform. Anyone can also report a concern by emailing ScoutsFirst@Scouting.org.

“We need to coach the friends”

Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen is the co-founder and executive director at Protect Children, a Finland-based nonprofit dedicated to preventing all sexual violence against children.

If we’re doing our jobs as adults, we’re regularly reassuring our kids that they can come to us if anyone hurts them or does anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.

However, Vaaranen-Valkonen said kids often won’t do that.

“We tell kids to tell a trusted adult, but they don’t do that,” she says. “Instead, they tell their friends, so we need to coach the friends to do the right thing.”

If a friend of your child confides to them about being abused, threatened or harassed, they should respond by:

• listening and believing their friend’s story;
• telling them that what happened isn’t their fault;
• encouraging their friend to tell a safe adult;
• offering to speak to an adult either with their friend or on behalf of them;
• if all else fails, talking to a safe adult themselves.

“Listen and don’t cast blame”

Special agent Michael Theberge is an Army veteran who now uses computer forensics to fight child exploitation as part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Know2Protect and Project iGuardian programs.

Theberge spoke about how child predators will go online to whatever sites and platforms are popular among children.

“Kids like Roblox,” he said. “Well, pedophiles like Roblox too.”

Theberge stressed the importance of knowing who your children are communicating with online and telling your children about the dangers of moving those conversations “off platform” to, say, an encrypted third-party platform that’s much more difficult for parents — and law enforcement — to access.

Theberge also echoed other presenters in emphasizing the importance of creating a culture with your kids in which they’re comfortable coming to you should they make a mistake.

“Listen and don’t cast blame,” he says. “Have open, two-way conversations.”