TheThe Incident Incident

Paul BrickerPaul Bricker

District 6060District 6060

Youth Exchange Chair/YEOYouth Exchange Chair/YEO

Who Am I?Who Am I?

YeoggieYeoggie

Parent not FriendParent not Friend

Q. “You’re a hard !@# aren’t Q. “You’re a hard !@# aren’t you?”you?”– A. “Yes I am!”A. “Yes I am!”

The ClubThe Club

Almost 100 membersAlmost 100 members

Long history of hosting exchange Long history of hosting exchange studentsstudents

Always able to come up with Always able to come up with enough help to make the program enough help to make the program workwork

The StudentThe Student

15 Years Old15 Years Old

OutgoingOutgoing

IntelligentIntelligent

The RotarianThe Rotarian

Member since 2003Member since 2003 Hosted since 2003Hosted since 2003 VERY active in the communityVERY active in the community VERY nice guyVERY nice guy

Insisted on Female StudentInsisted on Female Student Students had more problems in his Students had more problems in his

home than the other two homes.home than the other two homes.

The ALLEGED IncidentThe ALLEGED Incident

Allegedly occurred within a few Allegedly occurred within a few weeks of being placed in the weeks of being placed in the homehome

Allegedly involved inappropriate Allegedly involved inappropriate contactcontact– TouchingTouching– KissingKissing– FondlingFondling

How it was reportedHow it was reported

First to another exchange studentFirst to another exchange student Then to the counselor's spouseThen to the counselor's spouse

– Counselor contactedCounselor contacted– Inbound coordinator Inbound coordinator

Then to the Division of Family ServiceThen to the Division of Family Service From there a life of it’s ownFrom there a life of it’s own

– PolicePolice– State DepartmentState Department– Home Gov’tHome Gov’t

What about the What about the Student?Student? Immediately removed from the homeImmediately removed from the home

– Order of protectionOrder of protection Received counseling from a specialistReceived counseling from a specialist Interviewed by Family ServicesInterviewed by Family Services Interviewed by the PoliceInterviewed by the Police Interviewed by a Forensic Sexual Interviewed by a Forensic Sexual

Abuse SpecialistAbuse Specialist

Where is the student Where is the student now?now? Returned home 3 days after Returned home 3 days after

reporting incidentreporting incident Has had many difficulties since Has had many difficulties since

returning homereturning home Regrets telling anyoneRegrets telling anyone

The rest of the story…The rest of the story…

After the initial allegations After the initial allegations another incident was discoveredanother incident was discovered

Then anotherThen another 3 students, 3 years, 5 alleged 3 students, 3 years, 5 alleged

inappropriate actionsinappropriate actions None of the students had metNone of the students had met

How was it handled?How was it handled?

Initially nothing was done to the Initially nothing was done to the Rotarian other than the Rotarian other than the investigation by the Police and investigation by the Police and ProsecutorProsecutor

Upon discovery of the RI policies Upon discovery of the RI policies the Rotarian was suspendedthe Rotarian was suspended– Subsequently he requested a ‘leave Subsequently he requested a ‘leave

of absence’ from the clubof absence’ from the club

What could we have What could we have done better?done better? ApplicationsApplications Statement of Conduct – signed!!Statement of Conduct – signed!! Background checks????Background checks???? Immediate SuspensionImmediate Suspension

– RI says removal from all contactRI says removal from all contact

RecommendationsRecommendations

SUPPORT THE STUDENTSUPPORT THE STUDENT

FOLLOW YOUR POLICYFOLLOW YOUR POLICY

Recommendations Recommendations (con’t)(con’t) Educate the District CommitteeEducate the District Committee

Educate the CounselorsEducate the Counselors

Educate the StudentEducate the Student– Remember the initial report was to Remember the initial report was to

another student – a male student!another student – a male student!

Recommendations Recommendations (con’t)(con’t) SUPPORT THE STUDENTSUPPORT THE STUDENT

FOLLOW YOUR POLICYFOLLOW YOUR POLICY

Recommendations Recommendations (con’t)(con’t) Report itReport it to the appropriate state to the appropriate state

agencyagency Report itReport it to the proper local to the proper local

agencyagency Report itReport it to the Youth Exchange to the Youth Exchange

CommitteeCommittee Report itReport it to the District Governor to the District Governor Report itReport it to RI to RI

Recommendations Recommendations (con’t)(con’t) SUPPORT THE STUDENTSUPPORT THE STUDENT

FOLLOW YOUR POLICYFOLLOW YOUR POLICY

Recommendations Recommendations (con’t)(con’t) Cooperate with the investigationCooperate with the investigation

Leave personal feelings outLeave personal feelings out

Stay out of situations involving Stay out of situations involving your home clubyour home club

Recommendations Recommendations (con’t)(con’t) SUPPORT THE STUDENTSUPPORT THE STUDENT

FOLLOW YOUR POLICYFOLLOW YOUR POLICY

Recommendations Recommendations (con’t)(con’t) Follow our own rulesFollow our own rules

Insist the counselors and host Insist the counselors and host families follow the rulesfamilies follow the rules

Insist the student follow the rulesInsist the student follow the rules

Recommendations Recommendations (con’t)(con’t) SUPPORT THE STUDENTSUPPORT THE STUDENT

FOLLOW YOUR POLICYFOLLOW YOUR POLICY