Metro YMCA Assigns a Full-Time Leader to Child Safety Initiatives

“Safety of children is at the core of the organization’s culture and is our number one priority at the Y,’’ said Maureen Simons, who became senior director of child safety last month following eight years as director of human resources at the Metro YMCA, New Jersey’s largest YMCA association.

Simons already had been leading the Metro Y’s child safety initiatives training staff and volunteers in Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children, a nationally recognized program aimed at ending child sexual abuse. The evidence-based curriculum teaches adults how to implement effective prevention policies, identify signs of sexual abuse in children, and react responsibly if abuse occurs.

The Metro YMCA has now stepped up its efforts by creating the full-time position and setting a goal to train 30 percent of members on the way to ultimately educating 21,000 people.

“Maureen has the expertise and passion to lead the Metro Y’s ambitious campaign to protect children from sexual abuse,’’ said Metro Y President and CEO Richard K. Gorab. “This initiative will help the community turn the tide on a silent epidemic that crosses every socioeconomic boundary.’’

“It’s estimated that one in 10 children will be sexually abused by their 18th birthday, and a large part of the problem is that adults don’t know how to protect children,’’ Simons said. Under her leadership, the Metro Y was one of 50 Ys nationwide to participate in the YMCA of the USA’s child safety pilot program on best practices.

Other statistics on child sexual abuse are equally startling. More than 90% of child victims are abused by someone they know, and 73 percent of them don’t tell anyone for at least a year.

Victims are three times more likely to have substance abuse issues, two times more likely to drop out of school, and they are at greater risk for physical illnesses, Darkness to Light reports. With an estimated 42 million adult survivors in the United States, the immediate and long-term costs of the crime exceed $35 billion a year.

“Child sex abuse can be stopped if adults learn how to intercede and prevent it, and the Metro YMCA is committed to leading the charge,’’ Gorab said.

Simons said she is looking forward to partnering with community leaders to educate, engage and empower adults to make child protection a top priority. The married stepmother of two holds a master’s degree in human resources. Before joining the Metro Y, she worked at a Y outside Boston, Mass. for eight years.

“I’m confident that we can make our communities a safer place for all children,’’ the Monmouth County resident said.

Darkness to Light is offering an online version of Stewards of Children training free of charge to New Jersey residents through December 2015. Anyone interested can go to http://www.metroymcas.org/preventnow to take the two-hour course.