
           Youth Protection - DeMolay and Scottish Rite 
                         Working Together 

                    Ill Robert F. Hannon, 33 
                     SGIG of The Supreme 
                        Council in Arizona 
                        3901 North Oracle 
                      Tucson, Arizona  85705 

  With financial support from our Scottish Rite Supreme Council 
and our Grand Commander, C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33, DeMolay 
International has produced a "Youth Protection Program" that is 
addressing the disturbing subjects of child abuse as well as drug 
and alcohol abuse. This video-based program comes with a leader's 
guide and student handbooks. 

  It is so well done that it has been requested by other youth 
groups and even police departments because the message it conveys 
and the results it produces are outstanding. 

  Like so many other subjects which have been downplayed in the 
past, child abuse is a problem that must be addressed in order to 
educate adult volunteers as well as the youth members with whom 
they work. In the past, youth groups welcomed anyone who wanted 
to be an adult leader. But times have changed. Because of 
violations in all areas of abuse, youth organizations are taking 
a closer look at the people who volunteer for service. 

  In order for you to understand the importance of this program, 
let me offer you some ugly statistics regarding child abuse: 

         One in three women and one in seven men will have been 
          or will be sexually molested by the age of 21. 

         Each year, there are 2 million reports of suspected 
          child abuse, and about 2 thousand children die each 
          year as a direct result of child abuse. 

         Seventy-five percent of offenders have one or more 
          prior convictions for sexual offenses against a child. 

         In 75 percent of the cases reported, the offender is 
          someone known to one or more members of the immediate 
          family. 

  Some people find these numbers difficult to believe, yet 
they're true. We cannot turn our heads just because child abuse 
is something we cannot fathom in our own lives. The law of 
averages is against us on that score. Let's review some basic 
facts about child abuse: 

         "Child abuse" is defined as "any act toward a young 
          person under 18 years of age that impairs physical 
          and/or mental health immediately or over time." 

         The damages of child abuse stay within a victim and, 
          without proper attention, a person may mature into an 
          adult who is also abusive, thus perpetuating a 
          potentially never-ending cycle of violence. 

         An abuser may be unaware of what separates permissible 
          behavior from outright abuse. 
  
  There are four categories of child or youth abuse: 

         Neglect occurs when a young person's basic needs for 
          physical and emotional well-being go unfulfilled. 
          Neglect is due to the failure of the caretaker to 
          provide for a youth, even though financially able to do 
          so. 

         Emotional abuse occurs when a youth is given the 
          message through words or actions that he or she is "no 
          good and never will be." 

         Physical abuse involves the injury of a person when the 
          parent or caretaker is under stress or has little 
          impulse control. Such mistreatment may be due to 
          excessive punishment. It also happens in situations 
          such as unauthorized initiations or hazings. 

         Sexual abuse or sexual molestation involves any sexual 
          act between a young person and an adult or one youth 
          and a significantly older youth. The younger person is 
          powerless and not in a position to consent. Sexual 
          abuse is always the responsibility of the offender. 

  Alcohol and drug abuse have become a national crisis and a part 
of our DeMolay "Youth Protection Program." The following are some 
interesting statistics: 

         According to the U.S. Department of Education, 20.7 
          million students attend 7th through 12th grade; 10.6 
          million drink alcohol and 8 million drink weekly. Some 
          51 percent of the drinking students say that wine 
          coolers are their favorite drink, and projections show 
          that they will consume 35 percent, or 31.2 million 
          gallons, of the wine coolers sold in this country. (A 
          bottle of wine cooler contains twice the alcohol of a 
          bottle of beer.) 

         No less than 61 percent of high school seniors have 
          tried drugs; 17 percent have tried cocaine. 

         There are 10 million alcoholics in the U.S.; 3 million 
          are teenagers. 

         Alcohol abuse is the leading cause of death in 15- to 
          24-year-olds. 

         Recent surveys of junior high and high school students 
          show a drop in drug use while alcohol use is rising. 

  The DeMolay "Youth Protection Program" video contains four 
presentations. The first and second presentations show DeMolays 
and Advisors, respectively, all issues and guidelines relating to 
youth protection as well as the reporting procedures designed so 
that the members will know that they will be listened to and 
their privacy respected. 

  The third presentation was produced in conjunction with 
"Partnership for a Drug-Free America" and expresses concerns 
surrounding drug and alcohol abuse and related issues. 

  The fourth is a 30-minute presentation entitled "Taking 
Control," and it provides an excellent message addressing the 
issue of self-esteem. 

  DeMolay offers young men an alternative to alcohol and drugs. 
It gives them an opportunity to be part of a group, have fun, get 
involved in activities with other kids, and share friendships. 

  Today, to become an adult worker with DeMolay, one must agree 
to submit to an extensive background check, attend an intensive 
adult training program, and then observe nine established 
guidelines that will not only protect the adult volunteer but 
will also allow him to do a better job of protecting our youth. 

  As a Masonic organization, DeMolay is deeply committed to the 
rights of young people to live and mature in a normal, wholesome, 
and nurturing environment. DeMolay will take all necessary steps 
to remove any offenders from membership and adult leadership if 
the policies and high ideals of DeMolay International are 
compromised. 

  Scottish Rite and DeMolay are working hand in hand to make this 
world a safer place for our youth to live. 

  If you would like to learn more about the programs of DeMolay, 
or assist DeMolay in its efforts, please contact DeMolay 
International by using the following address/telephone number: 

                  DeMolay International Service 
                      and Leadership Center 
                10200 North Executive Hills Blvd. 
                 Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1367 
                          (816) 891-8333 


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  Robert F. Hannon was raised in Epex Randolph Lodge No. 32, 
Tucson, Arizona. Brother Hannon is a superb Scottish Rite 
ritualist and a member of the Tucson Scottish Rite Bodies since 
1967. He was appointed Deputy to The Supreme Council, 33, in the 
Orient of Arizona in 1989 and elected Sovereign Grand Inspector 
General at the 1991 Biennial Session. 

