By Atma Tattva Das
Left to right, back row, Syama Mohinī dd, Premadhatri dd (TP), NamaPriya dd, l-to-r, front row, Parth, Divya & Nikhit (3 of our Child Protection Ambassadors) holding the 2022 Safe Temple Award.
In light of the 25th anniversary of ISKCON’s Child Protection Office (CPO), the devotees at ISKCON of Phoenix, Arizona, have reaffirmed their commitment to creating a safe environment for children and supporting the CPO’s mission. The CPO was established in 1998 as a response to victims of child abuse within the society, and it has since served the worldwide devotee family by providing training, support, and investigations related to child protection. As part of this milestone, Syama Mohini Dasi from ISKCON of Phoenix shares insights into their Child Protection Volunteer program.
ISKCON’s Child Protection Office operates with a director, advisory panel, and regional directors. The director and two other devotees established the Child Protection Team (CPT) a few years ago. The team has evolved into the Child Protection Volunteers (CPV) program. ISKCON Phoenix’s CPV program currently has five members and they are thankful for the guidance and training from the director of the North America CPO, Lilasuka devi dasi. The CPV team complies with the CPO’s policy and operational guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of children within the community.
One of the critical services offered by the CPV team is mandatory child protection training for temple staff, especially those who work directly with children. The training, which is taken annually, helps raise awareness and understanding of child protection issues and equips volunteers with the necessary skills to ensure the safety of children in their care.
The CPV team acknowledges challenges in implementing and supporting child protection initiatives. When faced with criticism that the CPO may not be properly supported or rendered ineffective by ISKCON leadership, the CPV team emphasizes their commitment to child protection and the importance of taking proactive measures to prevent abuse – pointing to the needed support of leadership and the larger ISKCON community.
Syama Mohini Mataji emphasized, “The innocence of our children must be protected. Our dharma as parents and teachers is to protect them, even if one does not have a child of their own. It takes a village to raise a child, and we have so many children in our international family.”
The team believes that caring for and protecting children is a fundamental responsibility, and they strive to create a safe environment through comprehensive training, awareness programs, and collaboration with external resources such as the Chandler Police Department. They uphold and emphasize that no ecclesiastical or managerial authority is above the law, and child protection must be a priority for everyone involved.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-of-phoenix-marks-25th-year-of-cpo-with-renewed-commitment/
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