Protecting Families in a Digital World

Sam Meier, MA, LPCMay 21, 2019

Sam Meier - counselor for the Archdiocese of KCK and Benedictine College. Sam and Fr. Jay Kythe lead an accountability group for 27 students at BC. BA Psychology - University of Dallas, MA Counseling - University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Captain on HS football team, 2 sports at UD - All-American Track & Field

Beth Meier - 7th and 8th grade religion teacher at Prince of Peace Catholic School in Olathe. BS Biology, University of Dallas, MA Education - University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, MA Theology - Maryvale Institute / John Paul II Institute in Rome. 3 sports at UD - All-Conference Soccer, All-American Track & Field, point guard on basketball team

“For the third year in a row, our biggest age range of people committing sexual assaults are children ages 11-15 years old ... I started looking through our past sexual assault victim’s stories and found hundreds and hundreds of records of sexual assault survivors who were perpetrated on by another child. Pornography is often a main factor, and sometimes the only factor, that influenced a child to act out in a sexually harmful way.”

- Heidi Olson, RN, BSN, CPN, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program Coordinator, Children’s Mercy Hospital

• There are an average of one or two sexual assault victims each day at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City

• In 2017, Children’s Mercy Hospital identified 444 such cases in which medical professionals were able to verify sexual assault had occurred up to a maximum of five days earlier. In the vast majority of cases, the perpetrators were 11 to 15-year-old boys including the victims’ brothers.

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2016 Anonymous survey at a Catholic youth group in JOCO - Sam Meier & youth minister

2016 Survey - Catholic TeensAge of 1st exposure to pornography:

• 3rd grade - 21% • 4th grade - 4%• 5th grade - 21%• 6th grade - 14%• 7th grade - 25%

How were the teens first exposed:

• Friend introduced - 39%• Curiosity - 43%• Accidentally -18%

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3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

18%

43%

39%

Good Pictures Bad Pictures - Bestselling Book!• 8 local parishes have ordered bulk copies for all parents of 2nd graders through• $10.42 bulk rate through Amanda Khemraj (St. Paul’s parishioner - amanda@glen

covepress.com, 785-224-6071)

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Internet Safety Tips

Protecting Internet Devices

Device LevelCovenant Eyes

Custodio

Wi-FiOpenDNS

Disney Circle

ConversationsProtectYoungEyesPM turn in devices

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Internet Safety Tips:Covenant Eyes Screen Accountability software installed for phones, tablets, laptops,etc. (Free for Benedictine College students!)

Open DNS / Disney Circle for Wi-Fi

Check your children’s phones / devices regularly, and ask them how they are doing, pray for them

Have all family members turn in their Internet devices at a certain time each night.

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3 Circles Plan

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Great Sites:• CardinalStudios.org/strive - Strive Program• ChastityProject.com• CovenantEyes.com• CorProject.com• MeetCircle.com - Disney Circle• EndSexualExploitation.org• FightTheNewDrug.org• opendns.com• ProtectYoungEyes.com - app reviews• ProtectYoungMinds.org