Safe Environment Week

As Catholics, we have seen and experienced the pain and trauma that sexual abuse causes for victims, families, communities, schools, and parishes.  Each year in the month of April, which is recognized around the country as child abuse prevention month, parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee dedicate a week to elevating the general awareness of the Church’s efforts to keep our children safe.  This year,  we recognize April 21–27 as Safe Environment Awareness Week.  

We want people to know that we are committed to maintaining safe environments in our parishes and schools through adult child abuse prevention training; criminal background checks for all clergy, volunteers working with minors, and employees; safety training for children in each grade level; and adhering to all mandatory reporting requirement laws.   

In 2023, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, over 250 Safe Environment Education Sessions were conducted with over 4,400 adults trained in identifying signs of abuse and neglect, over 7,900 criminal background checks were conducted on clergy, employees, and volunteers, and about 40,000 children were trained in Safe Environment topics.  

Every year in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, each parish and school are required to complete a report documenting their compliance with the Safe Environment Program’s policies and procedures.  The Archdiocese of Milwaukee Safe Environment Office uses those reports to compile an archdiocesan report for USCCB audit firm Stonebridge Partners on our archdiocesan compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.  The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has been found compliant every year since 2004.

More information about the church’s commitment to protecting our children can be found on the Archdiocese of Milwaukee website.