Child Protection Training Seminar
By Malini Dasi and Dhira Govinda Dasa

May 29, 2001

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

From September 24 to September 27, 2001, the ISKCON Child Protection Office (ICOCP), also known as the Association for the Protection of Vaisnava Children (APVC) will be conducting an intensive training in child protection in Alachua (FL). If you would like to participate in this course, please contact me at the contact information provided above.

Devotees who complete this course will be trained to and expected to serve as judges for the Child Protection Office. Also, graduates of the course will most likely become primary resource persons for child protection issues in their Vaisnava communities.

Course participants should be spiritually strong and emotionally mature and balanced. In addition, students should be capable of sensitively addressing delicate and unpleasant issues, and making tough decisions. Students will be required to read some material in the weeks before the course begins, and to participate in all parts of the training, which will run for about 7 hours per day on each of the 4 days. After the training, the newly trained judges will be requested to serve on approximately 3 to 4 cases of alleged child abuse per year. Time spent for a judge (panel member) on a case ranges from 1 to 2 hours to dozen of hours, depending on the complexity of the case. Panel members, of course, always have the option whether or not to serve on a case.

Topics that will be covered during the course include:

-Definition and recognition of child abuse and neglect -Risk factors for child abuse -Typology of sexual abusers -Forensic psychology -Child protection teams -Child protection education programs -Investigative and interviewing techniques -Listening skills -Adjudicatory procedures

If you would like to participate in this course you must be registered by August 15, 2001. We understand that the subject matter of this training is not the most pleasant. Still, it is imperative that qualified Vaisnavas become trained in this area in order to responsibly protect the children of Srila Prabhupada's movement. We encourage ISKCON leaders to take this course. Please refer people whom you believe are qualified to serve as a child protection panel member to the Child Protection Office to register for this course. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the course.

If you would like to apply for a spot in the training, please provide your name and contact information, as well as the contact information of at least three ISKCON references to the Child Protection Office. Thank you for your attention in matter.

Your servant,

Dhira Govinda Dasa Director- APVC

© CHAKRA 08 June 2001

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