Episode XV: Susan Bissell
30 min
In the fifteenth episode of Inside Safeguarding, we explore how the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is working to strengthen safeguarding across diverse institutional and community settings, from the Vatican’s own workplaces to local communities in Africa, religious ministries in the United States and the rapidly evolving digital world. In this episode, William Roberts looks at the Vatican’s first safeguarding seminar for its employees, an initiative empowering women to promote child protection in Malawi, and the Commission’s participation in the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s gathering on safeguarding in religious life in Chicago. We also examine the growing threats posed by online abuse and artificial intelligence, a key focus of the Commission’s recent Autumn Plenary Assembly. Roberts is then joined by Dr Susan Lynn Bissell, one of the Commission’s newest members and an internationally recognised child protection expert, to discuss her extensive experience with UNICEF and the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, the challenges of protecting children in the digital age, and the vital role faith communities can play in preventing violence and fostering safer environments. Hosted by William Roberts, Inside Safeguarding brings you monthly insights into the work of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, following the ongoing efforts to promote accountability, justice, and a culture of care across the global Church. For more information, visit tutelaminorum.va.
