Reporting Procedures for Suspected Child Abuse
As stated in KRS 620.030, “Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is dependent, neglected or abused shall immediately cause an oral or written report to be made to a local law enforcement agency, the Kentucky state police, the cabinet or its designated representative, or the Commonwealth’s attorney by telephone or otherwise.”
This reporting requirement includes all clergy, employees and volunteers. (See below for a list of agencies and phone numbers for each county.) When the accusation involves church personnel, such a report also must be forwarded to the Chancellor of the Archdiocese.
Persons making a report should provide the following information:
- The names and addresses of the child and his or her parents or other persons who have custodial responsibility for the child.
- The child’s age.
- The nature and extent of the child’s suspected dependency, neglect or abuse, including any previous charges of dependency, neglect or abuse, if known.
- The name and address of the person who is allegedly responsible for the abuse or neglect, and
- Any other information that will be helpful to the child abuse investigator.
No internal investigation shall be initiated before this report is made to the authorities and to the Chancellor. Failure to report suspected child abuse to the civil authorities is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by law and is grounds for the termination of employment and/or the termination of a volunteer relationship with a diocesan entity. The only exceptions to this requirement involve information learned within the Sacrament of Reconciliation or within an attorney-client relationship.
Reporting Procedures When Adults Come Forward About Abuse Experienced During Childhood
Information from adults who are reporting cases of sexual abuse when they were children should be immediately forwarded to the Chancellor. While the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky do not require the reporting of instances where adults come forward about their own childhood sexual abuse, it will be the policy of the Archdiocese of Louisville to report all such cases to the police. The Archdiocese may consider an exception to this policy if serious reasons not to do so are brought forward by the victim/survivor, though possible danger to other victims has to be weighed against the victim/survivor’s request for privacy. In all cases, the Archdiocese will provide adult accusers with information about how to make their own report to the police, if they have not already done so, and will encourage them to make a report.
The Archdiocese of Louisville Sexual Abuse Review Board will be advised of all accusations of childhood sexual abuse that are reported to the Archdiocese.
Sexual Abuse Reporting Contacts
Following is a list of agencies that take child abuse reports in each county of the Archdiocese. The Protection and Permanency Agency is part of the Community-Based Services Department of the Cabinet for Families and Children.
Child abuse can be reported to one of these numbers, to the statewide child abuse hotline at 1-877-KYSAFE1 (1-877-597-2331), or to the local police.
| COUNTY | PHONE NUMBERS | AGENCY |
| Adair | (270) 384-4731 | Protection and Permanency |
| Barren | (270) 651-8396 | Protection and Permanency |
| Bullitt | (502) 955-6591 (502) 543-7051 |
Protection and Permanency Child Protective Services |
| Casey | (606) 787-8369 | Protection and Permanency |
| Clinton | (606) 387-6655 | Protection and Permanency |
| Cumberland | (270) 864-3834 | Protection and Permanency |
| Green | (270) 932-7484 | Protection and Permanency |
| Hardin | (270) 766-5099 | Protection and Permanency |
| Hart | (270) 524-7111 | Protection and Permanency |
| Henry | (502) 845-2922 | Protection and Permanency |
| Jefferson or |
(502) 595-4550 (502) 574-2465 |
Protection and Permanency Crimes Against Children |
| Larue | (270) 358-4175 | Protection and Permanency |
| Marion | (270) 692-3135 | Protection and Permanency |
| Meade | (270) 422-3942 | Protection and Permanency |
| Metcalfe | (270) 432-2721 | Protection and Permanency |
| Monroe | (270) 487-6701 | Protection and Permanency |
| Nelson | (502) 348-9048 | Protection and Permanency |
| Oldham | (502) 222-9472 | Protection and Permanency |
| Russell | (270) 343-3512 | Protection and Permanency |
| Shelby | (502) 633-1892 | Protection and Permanency |
| Spencer | (502) 477-8808 | Protection and Permanency |
| Taylor | (270) 465-3549 | Protection and Permanency |
| Trimble | (502) 255-3236 | Protection and Permanency |
| Washington | (859) 336-9395 | Protection and Permanency |
Reporting Sexual Misconduct
Procedures Concerning Sexual Misconduct
Sexual misconduct is inappropriate adult behavior by Church personnel related to Church employment or ministry. Two categories of behavior are included: 1) sexual exploitation (sexual contact between Church personnel and an adult who is receiving counseling or other ministerial care from that priest, deacon, employee, seminarian, religious or volunteer) and 2) sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment occurs whenever a hostile environment is created through humor, vulgar comments, sexually suggestive cartoons, e-mail messages, or posters, as well as actual physical abuse.
The Archdiocese prohibits any form of sexual misconduct. This prohibition applies to all employees and volunteers, including clergy, religious, seminarians and lay persons.
Reporting Procedures
If criminal behavior (e.g. rape, attempted rape, assault, stalking) is involved, the behavior should be immediately reported to the police and to the Chancellor. If in doubt about whether behavior is criminal, call the police.
Those adults who believe they have been sexually exploited or harassed, or anyone else who becomes aware of the possibility of sexual misconduct related to Church personnel in Church employment or ministry, must report this information to the alleged offender’s immediate supervisor and to the Chancellor of the Archdiocese. If the accused is a pastor, the information should be reported to the Archbishop or his delegate.
For employment-related harassment, please see the Archdiocese of Louisville Personnel Policies.
