OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY

The Y Works to Ensure All Children Are Protected

The YMCA of Southern Nevada‘s commitment to providing a safe environment for every individual who engages with us—especially children—is essential to our mission, reputation, and our viability as an organization.

The reality of the society in which we operate highlights the need for enhanced safety and security measures. We engage roughly 65,000 people each year, 20,000 of whom are youth. One in 9 children in the U.S. will be sexually abused by the time he or she turns 18. In the majority of these cases, the perpetrator is a family member, friend, teacher, coach, or another child.

To meet the promise of our mission and cause, and to continue the Y’s leadership on these important social issues, we must do everything in our power to ensure the safety of everyone who enters our facilities and/or participates in our programs.

Child Safety First

All Y team members undergo thorough background screens, criminal history checks, as well as reference checks during the interviewing process. However, we also implement safety procedures for members and other visitors.

Y Staff

All Y Staff go through specialized training to recognize signs of abuse, how to report suspected abuse, and measures to prevent abuse from occurring at the Y.

Members

The Y screens all members and program participants against a national sex offender registry to allow us to continue to provide a safe, welcoming environment for every person at the YMCA of Southern Nevada.

Volunteers

The YMCA of Southern Nevada screens all volunteers, mandating background and criminal record checks in addition to required child abuse prevention training.

REPORTING SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE

Reporting is mandatory!

Witnessing Abuse

One in 9 children will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old.
Roughly 90% of child sexual abuse victims know their abuser. Approximately 30% of children who are sexually abused are abused by family members.
At least 60% of children who are sexually abused will never report it.
False reports are rare. Research shows that only 4–8% of child sexual abuse reports are fabricated.

Reporting Abuse

You don’t need to have proof that abuse is occurring to make a report, only reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion means that you have witnessed maltreatment or boundary violations, either in the child and/or adult, or you have received a disclosure from a child about abuse, neglect, or boundary violations towards them. Child sexual abuse reports should be made to the police and/or state child protective services. Contact Child Protective Services at (702) 399-0081

Contact the Darkness to Light Helpline by calling 866-FOR-LIGHT, or texting LIGHT to 741741. Questions will be answered by trained counselors at no charge.

5 Days of Action

Leading up to Healthy Kids Day—a nationwide YMCA initiative to improve the health and well-being of kids—5 Days of Action is a national campaign designed to raise awareness and inspire adults to take action to protect children from sexual abuse.

Learn More