Scouts Canada- Keeping Our Children Safe!

Can the benefits of Scouts outweigh the risks? As the Mom of a child in Scouts, it's a question I ask myself often. There are many questions that race through my mind each and every time I take him to another boy scouts meeting. Questions such as these:

Is he safe?

Would he know what was inappropriate?

Have we had the "talk" to the extent needed?

Is it unfair to judge based on a few "bad" leaders/volunteers?

You see, here is the issue for me. My son's small group of leaders are seemingly wonderful people. They are the members of my close knit community. They are the people I pass on the walk to school with him every morning. They have children within the same scout group.The majority of them are "parent volunteers". I certainly don't fear for his safety while attending his regular week night meeting. By the way, he is 10. Which I think makes him old enough to know right from wrong and appropriate with inappropriate. Am I being naive? We certainly are free and open in our discussions of what dangers lurk. He also recently had a two week course in school about stranger danger, abuse and safety... does this make him better equipped?

I want him to enjoy the benefits of Scouts, to enjoy the outdoors and to learn survival skills. I want to foster his already interest and love of nature. I don't want a "video gaming, computer playing 24/7 couch potato!" But, I also don't want to ever put him in harms way.

Is it unfair to judge an entire organization based on the actions of the "bad seeds" who have interjected their perversion into a "good cause" group. Is educating our children enough to keep them safe? Is the risk greater within this organization than it is in others, for example: being the member of a sports team that requires overnight or weekend trips. You hear of abuse in all kinds of situations, what is it about Scouting that makes us so much more vigilant... When horror stories break in regards to Scouts, I hear the message that "a parent should have known better." Almost like "Well duh, what did you expect, it's a breeding ground for this type of thing." Is it because in hindsight we think that we could have unconsciously placed our child in harms way... camping + tents + sick adults = you had to see it coming? What about all the good people involved with Scouts, the people who just want to install values and a love of nature into the next generation. How do we minimize the risk? Can we minimize the risk? In an organization that seems to be the ideal place for a child molester to linger, is there any way to keep a child safe? Do older children with a better understanding of the issue have a better chance of staying safe? Is the Scouts organization doing their part in keeping children safe, are they better educated and more aware to the issue... or are they in denial? Do they look for it, watch for it, or do they on a whole think "not in my small group" would something like this happen. That scares me, bad people don't wear signs! I already described my sons group as "seemingly nice people" I'm not naive, I know child predators can be "seemingly nice people."

I know my words scream insanity and doubt but as a Mom I need to know if I am making the right choice. Is this a decision that you can rely completely on instinct, as mine is telling me that the group of people "leading" my child are good, decent human beings.

This is not at all to minimize the importance and the pain of the boys who have fallen victim to such crude, harmful, abusive and life altering experience at the hands of sick and twisted individuals. I'm sure a one on one with one of these survivors would give me all the clarity I need. I wish I could talk to a survivor without seeming ignorant. I would ask if there was anything they could have done differently, not in that way! In a way to pass on to my son what would be the slightest sign of "something isn't right". How do these people manipulate our children so easily and effectively? Am I not giving their evil enough credit? What tools does he require that I may not have given him? That's the point I'm making here.

I feel sorry for the past victims, I feel sorry for the "good" people who lead and volunteer and just want to make a difference in the life of a child. I feel sorry for the city kid (like my son) who wants the country experience (the woods, the skills etc) but might have to miss out because of my fears. Yes we camp as a family, yes we hike, fish, bike and enjoy the outdoors, but there are things he can learn in Scouts that we don't know how to teach him. For a little boy whose favourite show is Survivor man, is it fair to say "No, you can't participate". Is it a statement I would forever regret not saying if something awful happened.

Please share you thoughts, ideas, suggestions, opinions etc. Do you allow your child to participate in Scouts? Would you? Do your children participate in other activities that run the same "risks". What do you say to them to educate them? Is the safety message we give them enough? What is your personal view on the Scouts Organization? Lets join together and discuss ways to keep our children safe.