A D V E N T I S T R I S K M A N A G E M E N T, I N C .
SOLUTIONS
Providing Solutions to Minimize Risks
APRIL 2010 VOLUME 14 ISSUE 4
Inspiration
"Whoever welcomes
one of these little
children in My Name
welcomes me; and
whoever welcomes
Me does not welcome
Me but the one who
sent me."
Mark 9:37
Motivation
"The only reason why
child abuse is alive
today, is because we as
adults fail our children
when we fail to listen
to them. Listen to a
child today! "
Heather McClane
www.adventistrisk.org
Harmless Experimentation
or Child Abuse?
A
new focus in the prevention of The impact of peer-on-peer abuse can impact
child abuse is shifting the spotlight a child long into their adult life.
from traditional forms of abuse and Adults have the responsibility to
sexual exploitation to the growing trend properly supervise children while they
of peer-on-peer inappropriate abusive participate in church and school sponsored
situations. All too often parents, educators activities. Likewise the church has a duty to
and church leaders fail to recognize the provide a safe environment where children
potential harm that can be caused by this can worship, learn and socialize together.
type of child abuse. Adults often consider April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
sexual activity with a sibling, peer or cousin Often we work hard to properly screen
just a form of innocent experimentation adult volunteers and employees but we fail
and part of the growing up process. The fact to guard against one child causing harm to
is a child who is placed in a situation where another when they interact together. While
they cannot refuse or defend themselves is a we can never let down our
child who is being sexually violated. Parents guard in the area of adult
need to be vigilant for signs and symptoms, screening we must also
especially when these signs suggest there is keep watch to assure
something troubling your child. proper supervision
In today’s electronic age children are is maintained at all
learning to interact on computers and times. This month
cell phones before they reach the age of we will look further
elementary school. The electronic jungle into the tragic
can be a scary place for an unsuspecting situations that can
child to be exposed to inappropriate sexual create liability and
interactions. Sexually explicit online the warning signs
chat rooms can lead to devastating secret to help alert you
meetings with a child predator as we have when a child may
read in the headlines. Even worse can be the be at risk. ■
peer-on-peer sex-texting and exchanging
Arthur F. Blinci,
of digital pictures of children engaging in ARM eMBA, a vice
sexual activity. These actions can often lead president of Adventist
to situations of bullying and other forms of Risk Management, Inc.,
prepared this article.
physical, verbal or psychological abuse.
Page 2 Page 4 Page 6 Page 7
Exploration or Recognize the Signs of Family Time Job Stress Affects
Sexual Abuse? Child Sexual Abuse Your Bottom Line
FEATURE
Is It Exploration...
Or Is It Sexual Abuse?
P
eer-on-peer abuse is the tort of the new century,” said
the speaker at a meeting during the Non-Profit Risk
Management Institutes conference in September 2006.
Is this a problem that we are experiencing in the Seventh-day
Adventist Church? Have we experienced this type of claim?
Unfortunately, the answer is yes.
Marcus and David were the best of friends. They always
played together and they did not mix well with the other
students. They were more quiet and bookish and during recess
they liked to make a tent by putting an old blanket over the
playground bench and reading or playing games together
inside their tent. None of the playground supervisors saw any
problem with the behavior. The boys were encouraged to get
more exercise, but they resisted and were
allowed to continue playing in their
tent. Eventually, the boys did stop
playing together, and Marcus joined
in the more active play with the
other children. David continued
to read his books and stayed by
himself as much as possible.
One day, David’s mother
came to his teacher and
mentioned that David
had told her that
Marcus would
touch him in
private areas
when they
were alone
together
in the
tent.
2 SOLU TIONS • April 2010 • Adventist Risk Management, Inc.
She said that David no longer wanted to come to school and
cried each day in the car while she drove him to the campus.
She asked the teacher if the school would help her financially
because she thought David needed counseling and she could not
afford it. The teacher was shocked, but she told David’s mother
that she would look into the matter. The teacher asked to have a
conference with Marcus and his parents. Marcus denied David’s
allegations. Marcus’ parents were incensed and said they were
going to sue the school for slandering their son. David will have
many years to decide if this situation is the cause of problems he
experiences as he progresses through life. In some jurisdictions,
he could file a claim in his forties or fifties for sexual abuse that
occurred in his childhood.
What should the teacher do now? What should she have
done differently? Could this situation have been prevented?
When sexual exploration occurs between children, it is no
longer only something that parents discuss with the children
involved, advising them of good and bad touching and setting
limits on future behavior and activities. It is now perceived as
a reason to file a claim and commence a lawsuit against the
organizations and individuals who have the responsibility to
supervise the children at our schools and church youth programs.
Claims history reveals that we need to guard against the
situations that lead to these claims.
Situations in which claims of peer-on-peer abuse can
arise when young people under the age of eighteen are allowed
unsupervised access to younger children. In some cases these
unsupervised young people have been asked by church or school
authorities to watch the children while the adults were involved
elsewhere. Claims also arise in situations where children have
taken unsupervised bathroom breaks together, or have not been
well supervised on the playground and in the classroom. More
tangential claims result when parents ask a respected young
person who has demonstrated leadership in the church or school
to babysit their young children. The parents later allege that they
would have never selected this babysitter if the church had not
demonstrated high regard for the young person by allowing him
or her to assume a leadership role.
In many cases, these claims are not reported until
years after the fact, when the abused child has reached
adulthood. Such claims are often costly and difficult to
defend because the passage of time makes it difficult
to find witnesses. Some witnesses have died, people forget
exactly what occurred, records have been lost or destroyed,
and laws have changed.
Prevention of situations that result in claims is the most
logical method of reducing the number of such claims.
y Children must be supervised by adults at all times when
they are present at church and school programs if they are
not with their parents This does not preclude allowing
supervised older children to assist with the programs for
truth when they disclose an alleged incident. Less than five
percent of disclosures from children are false.
y Assure the child that you will keep the information
private but not secret. Show your support for both
children. If possible, tell both of them that you must
report this information to the proper authorities so
they will get the necessary help in order to bring the
abusive behavior to an end.
y File all reports of suspected child abuse in a timely manner

Downtown AtlAntA
younger children. in accordance with local child protection laws. Leave the
y We cannot allow children to be out of the sight and/or investigation of the incident to the appropriate authorities.
hearing of adult supervisors. As risk managers, we must y Immediately report all incidents of suspected child
not allow children to go to the bathroom alone, to play abuse to your conference administration and
where they cannot be seen at all times, to sit together with a appropriate insurance representatives.
blanket or coat tented over themselves, to sleep in the same y Remember to protect the rights of the
bed or sleeping bag while camping or on an outing, and to accused as well as the victim. Be extremely
stay in the classroom with another student while the rest of sensitive, remembering these incidents can
the class goes outside. The list could go on, but it is easy to have serious spiritual, emotional and
generalize by reiterating that no children will be out of the legal ramifications for the individuals
eyesight or ear shot of the adult supervisor. involved, your congregation and
y Be aware of and conform to the laws in your jurisdiction the conference. ■
that regulate schools and pre-schools. Many jurisdictions
have regulations precluding the presence of children who Donna Diaz, Esq., Claims Counsel (Riverside,
CA) for Adventist Risk Management, Inc. and
are not registered in the program. In this case, the word Geoffrey Hayton, Esq., Claims Manager
children would include anyone under the age of eighteen. (Riverside, CA) for Adventist Risk Management,
y Always make it clear to employees and volunteers that the Inc. prepared this article.
Seventh-day Adventist Church is committed to conducting
its children and youth ministries with a zero tolerance policy
towards child abuse in any form.
When a situation is reported to our school or church leaders,
it must be reported to local authorities in the same manner as a
situation involving an adult would be reported. The following
checklist for responding to abuse has been previously published
in Solutions, but it bears repeating because we find that there
is reluctance to report child-on-child abuse. However, the
consequences of peer abuse are no different than other abuse
situations, and frequently when young people are involved both
parties involved in the peer-on-peer abuse can get help that will
prevent future situations.
Responding to Incidents of Suspected Child Abuse
y Promptly report suspected incidents of abuse to the
appropriate authorities.
y Protect both children from harm by removing the accused
individual from any further contact with children at your
church until the official investigation has been completed.
y Believe that the child reporting the abuse is telling the

S O LUT I O N S • April 2010 • Adventist Risk Management, Inc. 3

F O RES IGHT

Recognize the Signs

of Child Sexual Abuse
A
ny of the following characteristics can be warning signs Elementary School-Age Children:
that a child may be in an abusive situation and that you Elementary school-age children will display all of the
ought to seek professional help: previous characteristics and:
Preschool Children: y Complain about aches and pains, headaches and other
y Rubbing genital area frequently with seeming intent versus psychosomatic ailments.
casually touching the genital area. y Have unusual knowledge and interest in sex beyond
y Asks questions about sex frequently–even after the question developmental level.
has been answered. y Display adult or sexualized behavior, (walking seductively,
y Shows significant curiosity to watch other family members adult type flirting, acting and talking like an adult.)
dressing, undressing, using the commode, or showering. y A drop in grades.
y Coerces a sibling, peer or cousin to play doctor. y Difficulty concentrating - Doctors might diagnoses ADHD
y Pretends to have intercourse by lying on top of a sibling. or ADD.
y Have a sudden fear of specific things, people, place Teenagers:
(bathroom or the room where the abuse took place), etc. Teenagers will display all of the previous characteristics and:
y Act out inappropriate sexual activity or display unusual y Depression.
interest in sexual matters. y Inability to trust others.
y Have temper tantrums, especially coinciding with visits to y Act out self-destructive behaviors: alcohol and/or drug use,
places or interaction with a sibling, peer or cousin. eating disorders.
y Display violent behavior such as: kicking, hitting, and y Bathe excessively.
biting–survivors feel extreme frustration and anger. y Become excessively secretive.
y Have mood swings, hitting, and withdrawal culminating y Develop strategies for protection such as: layering clothes,
into depression. Abused children often feel alone and wearing baggy or safety-pinning clothes or sleeping on the
helpless and withdraw into a shell. floor or in the closet, under the bed or blocking their door.
y Bed wetting or soiling. y Body piercing–navel, nose, lip, tongue, numerous ear
y Experience nightmares– piercing, tattoos.
monsters, being chased or y Act out pseudo maturity.
bogey men), fear of going to y Acquire sexually transmitted diseases.
bed or sleepwalking. y Dramatic increase in the frequency of masturbation or
y Display physical symptoms masturbation to the point of injury.
of sexual abuse such as genital y Act out promiscuously.
pain, itching, vaginal bleeding y Experience serious confusion regarding sexual identity.
(bloodstains in panties or y An aversion toward opposite sex.
pajamas), discharge, redness y Sexual interest in children.
in genital area, or bladder Being alert to warning signs and early intervention can make a
or kidney infections. difference in a child’s life. As a leader who works with children
y Display unexplained it is incumbent upon you to stay alert and understand the child
aggressiveness or abuse reporting laws in your community’s jurisdiction. You can
rebellion. make a difference in keeping children safe from this cycle of
y Insert objects into abusive behaviors. ■
genitals/rectum–act out
Arthur F. Blinci, ARM eMBA, a vice president of Adventist Risk Management, Inc.,
sexual behavior on doll, prepared this article.
toys or pets.

4 SOLU TIONS • April 2010 • Adventist Risk Management, Inc.

 ARM RESOURCES
Publisher
Adventist Risk Management, Inc.

Executive Publisher
Arthur F. Blinci, ARM, EMBA

Editor
Paula L. Webber

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Call: John J. Dougan

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or email:
healthcare@ Solutions (ISSN 1528-7076) is
published monthly by Adventist

adventistrisk.org Risk Management, Inc.,

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Texts credited to NIV are from the

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Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984,
International Bible Society. Used
by permission of Zondervan Bible
Publishers.

©2010 Adventist Risk

Management, Inc.

“Look at these hot pictures Jimmie sent me!”

S O LUT I O N S • April 2010 • Adventist Risk Management, Inc. 5

HEALTH ALERT!
Health Tip of the Month
Family Time
B
e committed to making family
time a priority and plan creative
activities. According to experts, the
myth that a large quantity of time can
be replaced by less frequent quality time
isn’t true. Bigger chunks of time are only
effective if there is already a relationship
as a result of daily time together.
y Building an environment where
children are free to discuss any topic
of concern needs to begin while the
child is very young. Allow children to
talk about what they like to do and
their feelings. This will help build
trust and acceptance.
y Quality time doesn’t mean devoting
all free time exclusively to a child
to compensate for the time lost.
Children shouldn’t expect to always
be the center of attention. One-
on-one time–each parent with
each child–is important. Getting a
child alone, away from the natural
competition that comes from siblings
is a great opportunity to get to know
your child.
6 SOLU TIONS • April 2010 • Adventist Risk Management, Inc.
Family mealtimes keep the doors
of communication open. Harvard
researchers studies 65 children over a
period of eight years. They looked at
which activities most fostered healthy
child development: play, story time,
events with family members and other
factors. Family dinners won out.
y Teens who rarely have family dinners
are three-and-a half times more likely
to have abused prescription drugs or
an illegal drug other than marijuana
compared to teens that have frequent
family dinners. Research shows that
more frequent family meals also
protect against tobacco, alcohol,
low grade point average, depression
and suicide, particularly among
adolescent girls.
y Girls who have five or more meals a
week with their families are one-
third less likely to develop unhealthy
eating habits, which can range
from skipping meals to anorexia or
abusing diet pills.
y According to a public health survey,
74 percent of teenagers said that they
enjoy eating meals with their families.
Research shows that most families
eat dinner four to five evenings
a week with about 10 percent of
families eating together two or
fewer days a week.
y Teens who share more family
meals tend to eat more fruits,
vegetables, grains, protein, and
calcium-rich foods. Also, they
have a higher intake of iron,
folate, fiber, and vitamins A,
C, E, and B6. At the same
time, they tend to drink
fewer soft drinks. Establish
a regular family game night.
Set aside at least one hour
with no outside distractions
for young children and two
hours for older children. Playing
board games can teach children
social skills and interpersonal
communication. Games can also
provide academic benefits.
Make family time physically active.
The goal for children is to engage
in moderate physical activity for 60
minutes. Make getting more physical
activity a family project. Encourage
everyone to think of fun things to do to
get up and moving. Keep up the good
work by posting a physical activity log
on the refrigerator.
Involve the whole family in choosing
a vacation destination. Cost and busy
schedules are reasons many families are
unable to take a vacation, but the greatest
benefit is the time spent together.
Relaxation and rest are important
to both adults and children. The
purpose of a family vacation is to
reconnect and rejuvenate.
When spending time together, set
limits and do not let family rules slide.
Generally, children feel more secure and
happier when rules and routines
are maintained. ■
Compiled by Jina Kim, MPH, Wellness Coordinator for
Adventist Risk Management, Inc.
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services-
SAMHSA; Washington State University; Ezine
Articles; Ohio State University; In Touch Magazine;
LifeScript; National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute;
University of Minnesota; and Washington and
Shady Grove Adventist Hospitals.
The Health Tip of the Week is for educational
purposes only. For additional information, consult
your physician.

Job Stress Affects Your Bottom Line
E
veryone faces stress in life. Stress
can motivate us to get things done
and actually improves productivity,
as long as it is within manageable limits.
It becomes a problem, though, when it
seems excessive or insurmountable.
According to the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), working conditions–such
as excessive workload demands and
conflicting expectations–play a primary
role in causing job stress.
Over-stressed employees affect
your company's bottom line. Stressful
working conditions are associated
with increased tardiness, absenteeism,
presenteeism, illness, injury, and
disability. Health care expenditures are
nearly 50 percent greater for workers
who report high levels of stress.1
TRY THIS RECIPE OUT!
Senegalese Peanut Stew with
Spinach & Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
1 spray cooking spray
2 medium onion(s), roughly chopped
1 medium green pepper cored and roughly
chopped
½ pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
into ½-inch cubes
According to the Northwestern
National Life, one-fourth of all U.S.
employees view their jobs as the number
one stressor in their lives. Princeton
Survey Research Associates report that
three-fourths of employees believe the
worker has more on-the-job stress than a
generation ago.
Swedish researchers studied 3,500
people to find the relationship, if any,
between stress and a first heart attack.2
The most dangerous stressors for men
were: tight deadlines, conflict, and high
competition. Conflict at work increased
the risk of a heart attack by 80 percent
over the next 12 months.
The most dangerous stressor for
women was a significant change in their
financial situation. This stressor increased
their risk of a heart attack by three times!
A 2009 study of Swedish women3
found the highest perceived work-related
stress was due to lack of organization and
conflicts at work, having little influence
at work, and work interference with
home life. High perceived stressors were
significantly associated with the number of
days of reported sick-leave.
Exposure to stressful working con-
ditions can have a direct influence on
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons ginger root, fresh, minced
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups vegetable broth, reduced-sodium
6 tablespoons peanut butter, natural,
creamy variety
8 cups spinach leaves, stemmed, packed, chopped
S O LUT I O N S • April 2010 • Adventist Risk Management, Inc.
B ro u g ht to yo u by :
w w w.advent i st r i sk .o rg/ Wellne s s /
worker safety and health. Interventions
are available to strengthen or weaken
this influence. NIOSH research has
identified organizational characteristics
associated with both healthy, low-stress
work and high levels of productivity.
Examples include:
y Recognition of employees for good
work performance.
y Opportunities for career development.
y An organizational culture that values
the individual worker.
y Management actions that are
consistent with organizational values.
Symptoms of excessive stress include
headache, sleep disturbance, concentration
problems, short temper, upset stomach,
and job dissatisfaction. You may save
your life by finding balance and keeping
priorities straight.
Learn more at: www.cdc.gov/niosh/
docs/99-101/ ■
This article was provided by Wellsource, Inc.
Resources:
1. Journal of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine. 42:1060-1069.
2. Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Stress …At Work. Publication 99-101.
3. Journal of the American Medical Association.
293:43-53.
Directions
Coat pan with cooking spray and set over medium
heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Stir often, until
softened. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots and
garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add
the ginger, cloves, salt and cayenne. Pour in the
vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in
the peanut butter until smooth. Cover. Simmer
slowly on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the
sweet potatoes are tender. Add the spinach. Cook,
stirring occasionally. Serving size 1 ⅔ cups.
This recipe is provided by Weight Watchers™.
7

SEPTEMBER 12 - 15, 2010
THE RITZ-CARLTON
DEARBORN
Early-Bird Registration for the 2010
Risk Management Conference is
now available! Early-Bird prices are
available until June 4, 2010.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
For more information about this
year's Conference, our Heritage Tour
and to register, visit us today at
www.adventistrisk.org
or call 301-680-6930