Safe Child Policy ~ Guidelines For Safe Ministry With Children And Youth

Definitions

Minister: A person engaged by the church to carry out its ministry.  “Minister” includes elected or appointed leaders of the church, employees and volunteers, as well as “authorized ministers”.

Authorized Minister: A person who holds ordained ministerial standing or has been commissioned or licensed by an association of the United Church of Christ.

Ministerial Relationship: The relationship between one who carries out the ministry of the church and the one being served by that ministry.

Emotional Abuse: Involves verbal or non-verbal violence toward a child that gives the child the message that the child is “no good” and never will be.  It includes using harsh, abusive language meant to revile, malign or hurt the one it is directed at.

Physical Abuse: Involves physical violence toward a child, including any type of physical aggression directed at a child in anger, including corporal punishment. 

Sexual Misconduct: Includes “sexual exploitation” and “sexual harassment” as defined in this policy.  It occurs when a person within a “ministerial relationship” engages in sexual contact or sexualized behavior with a congregant, client, employee, student, staff member or volunteer.

Sexual Exploitation: Sexual activity or contact (not limited to sexual intercourse) in which a minister engaged in the work of the church takes advantage of the vulnerability of a participant by causing or allowing the participant to engage in sexual behavior with the minister.

Sexual Harassment: Repeated or coercive sexual advances toward another person contrary to his/her wishes.  It includes behavior directed at and about a person’s sexuality or sexual orientation with the intent of intimidating, humiliating or harassing the other person, or subjecting the person to public discrimination.  Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute “sexual harassment” when:

Prohibited “sexual harassment” includes unsolicited and unwelcome contact that has sexual overtones, particularly:

“Sexual harassment” also includes continuing to express sexual interest after being informed directly that the interest is unwelcome – and using sexual behavior to control, influence or affect the career, salary, work, learning or worship environment of another.

It is impermissible to suggest, threaten or imply that a failure to accept a request for a date or sexual intimacy will affect a person’s job prospects, church leadership or comfortable participation in the life of the church.  For example, it is forbidden either to imply or actually withhold support for an appointment, promotion or change of assignment; to suggest that a poor performance report will be given because a person has declined a personal proposition; or to hint that benefits, such as promotions, favorable performance evaluations, favorable assigned duties or shifts, recommendations or reclassifications, will be forthcoming in exchange for sexual favors.