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Other important measures include installing windows in classrooms and offices, having someone periodically check in on Sunday school classes, implement strict rules on Sunday school bathroom breaks, and not allowing any adult to be alone with a child. But to these must be added another important churchwide action, says Gordon-Conwell's Swetland: "We need to be on our knees praying for the church that the Evil One would not use this to compromise the body of Christ."

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Last summer, Christianity Today sister publication Leadership Journal published "Confronted with the Shameful | How you should respond—legally and responsibly—when a staff member is accused of child molestation."

Mike Woodruff, a coauthor of the Leadership article, wrote a similar article for the journal Youthworker. "Youth workers are at greater risk for sexual improprieties than most," he wrote. He gives many very helpful tips for staying above reproach.

Richard Hammar and the Institute for Christian Leadership have several tools for teaching churches how to reduce the risk of child sexual abuse.

Both The Boston Globe and Boston Herald have special areas of their Web sites devoted to covering the clergy abuse scandals.

The Linkup, a group for survivors of clergy abuse, keeps a close eye on "black collar crimes" around the country.

Yahoo's full coverage area on clergy abuse offers links to news stories and opinon pieces from media around the world.

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March (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46