Preventing Sexual Misconduct

What is being done to prevent sexual misconduct in the Church?

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has implemented rigorous policies and procedures to provide a safe environment in our parishes and parish schools for all children and young people. These include:
    • “Zero Tolerance” for offenders
    • Guidelines for Adults Working or Volunteering with Minors
    • Archdiocese of Los Angeles Boundary Guidelines for Junior High and High School Youth Working or Volunteering with Children or Youth
    • Megan’s Law Compliance Procedures

Through programs for both adults and children, 1.7 million people in the Archdiocese have been trained on preventing sexual abuse. 

    • VIRTUS® “Protecting God’s Children” is a three-hour training for adults which teaches the five basic steps of child sexual abuse prevention.
      • This program is mandated for all adults who work with or around children or youth on a regular basis.
      • Nearly 300,000 clergy, staff, volunteers and parents have attended the program in the Archdiocese.
    • Child sexual abuse prevention includes empowering children
      • The Archdiocese of Los Angeles currently offers the following age-appropriate prevention programs for children: VIRTUS® Teaching Touching Safety, Good-Touch/Bad-Touch®, Outcomes for Safe Environment Curriculum.
      • More than 1.4 million students have learned about protection and prevention through these programs.

Every effort is made to assure that all persons ministering in the Archdiocese are aware of and will abide by the policies prohibiting sexual harassment, exploitation or abuse, and of the procedures for dealing with incidents of sexual misconduct.

School personnel are screened for their ability to work safely with children, are provided information to help recognize and deal with issues of child sexual abuse, and are offered guidance and instruction on appropriate professional conduct with students.

All seminarians and candidates for the diaconate go through an extensive evaluation and psychological assessment before entering formation. After ordination, priests and deacons receive ongoing training on maintaining the integrity of the ministerial relationship. Every person has the right to be respected and treated with the dignity befitting a child of God. Every person has the right to having appropriate boundaries respected.

Every person has the right to challenge any behavior or comment that is offensive or inappropriate. It is the responsibility of everyone to protect the safety of children, families, women and men, and to promote healing where there is injury with firm justice and mercy towards all. “The Light Shines in the Darkness and the Darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)