First Universalist Church

Safe-Congregation Policy

A Policy for the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct,
Physical Abuse and Harassment

The Board of Trustees' Thoughts about Section D8c of the the Safe-Congregation Policy

In this attachment the Board of Trustees sitting in the fall and winter of 2002, which adopted this policy, will try to convey to potential Response Team members and future Boards of Trustees its thinking behind section D8c of the Safe-Congregation Policy.

We have learned that the exploitation of children, youth and adults can have grave ramifications on those who are used in this manner. We look at two sources to understand the impact of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Many individuals have come forward in the popular press and described prior sexual, physical and emotional abuse and how this has affected their lives. We understand the devastation that can occur from such misuse. We have heard also from professionals acquainted with our church who know first hand how much these behaviors can affect one's entire experience of being alive.

We have also learned that those who commit sexually aggressive acts, no matter whether they intended to do so at first, eventually objectify and then intentionally exploit vulnerable individuals. In doing so the aggressor becomes manipulative and secretive to exploit another. These factors make it difficult for a Response Team or other fact-finding entity to obtain information about what might have taken place.

Because of this knowledge and because the sexual exploitation of individuals can have profound ramifications on the life of those affected, it is our enduring suggestion that for the good of the complainant, the congregation as a whole and the accused, that the accused not have further contact with children, youth or the involved parties. In rare instances the Response Team may make recommendations contrary to the stated position of this policy. These instances might include: when the accused individual reaches the point in treatment where he or she acknowledges their behavior, provides true emotional restitution to the aggrieved party/ies and trust is re-established; or when the accused is determined not to have done the acts alleged due to exceptional circumstances or irrefutable as described above.

Although we believe in due process for each accused person we also know that we must protect the vulnerable as our first priority and that through protecting our vulnerable we will do justice to the accused in the long run. This policy and the position of our Board of Trustees in the fall and winter of 2002 is to err on the side of the complainant.

If a Response Team determines that "exceptional circumstances" exist or "irrefutable evidence" exists (e.g., if there are three witnesses present who state that the accused did not sexually touch the complainant), then the Response Team can recommend that the accused be permitted to resume contact.

It is our belief that situations like those that this policy attempts to address will become known to many in the congregation despite our best attempts to ensure confidentiality and thus will have ramifications within the congregation. We strongly encourage a Response Team to consider the ramifications on the complainant, the congregation as a whole and finally the accused when making decisions.

We know that our church community is a microcosm of our larger community and as such we expect that these behaviors will eventually come to light in our church. We hope to give fair notice through this policy that these behaviors, occurring in our church community will be taken seriously and we will attempt to the best of our ability to pursue truth with justice.

The Safe-Congregation Task Force consisted of four individual members. These members include:

•    a Unitarian Universalist minister and author whose community ministry is to respond to and assist those who have been sexually victimized survive and cope well with the court process and move towards increased healthy functioning,

•    a UUA District Executive who for many years has responded to various sorts of disruptive behaviors including sexually and physically inappropriate behaviors which occurred through and in church settings,

•    a member or our church who for more than 20 years has evaluated and treated adult and adolescent sexual offenders for the Maine Courts and Probation and

•    our Director of Religious Education who in implementing this policy has given valuable feedback to our Task Force.

Extensive input was also provided by the Board of Trustees and our minister.

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