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The older campers get, the less they need (or want) to be supervised on a 24/7 basis. Yet the incidents we have seen in the past two years shine a glaring light on this belief.
Many camps allow older campers to be left alone at times not only during the day, but in the early evening before lights out. You may have relied on ODs to supervise what is going on in older camper bunks, or even have staff directly outside a bunk sitting on a porch or the steps. That may no longer be good enough. We have had several incidents that have occurred while no staff were present and almost all of them involved campers expressing themselves or touching others or encouraging others in sexually inappropriate ways. Some are shocking in how brazen and inappropriate they can be.
Praesidium, our Camp Team experts on sexual abuse prevention reports that Peer-to-Peer Abuse often happens during nighttime, nap time, shower time, changing clothes, free time, periods of transition, swimming, and truth or dare style games.
Each of the incidents we have seen recently occurred in the bunks of 13–14-year-olds between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM when there was no staff inside. The directors thought the campers’ ages and OD patrols were enough to prevent these situations. They were not. Many peer-to-peer incidents have occurred virtually right under the noses of supervisors, not only in camps but in youth organizations of all types.
Most of the parents contacted were understandably livid. Negligent supervision is almost always one of the major allegations in any lawsuit against camps. If sued, the argument will be ‘res ipsa loquitur’ – the thing speaks for itself. Had there been supervision, these events would not have happened.
The pandemic socialization issues in this age group are certainly a factor for this behavior - but so is the internet, social media, and some cultural issues in general. Are these behaviors going to abate as these kids age out of camp, or is this the new normal?
Food for thought as you pack up for the end of another summer and think about next year.
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