The Thing about Safeguarding:

The Thing about Safeguarding: It’s Not Just About Sexual Misconduct
By Kimberley Ducimo

When we talk about safeguarding in the NGO sector, the focus often narrows to one issue: sexual misconduct. And while addressing sexual violence is critical—undoubtedly one of the most severe and egregious forms of harm—it is by no means the only concern that safeguarding practices should address. The truth is, when an organization fails to safeguard against one form of harm, it is likely failing in other areas as well. To truly protect children, adults, and communities, safeguarding must encompass all aspects of safety, protection, and well-being, not just sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH).

Why the Focus on Sexual Misconduct?
The primary reason that safeguarding efforts so often focus on sexual violence is because it generates the most donor and public interest. The media often sensationalizes incidents of sexual abuse, particularly within high-profile organizations, and public demand for accountability is strong. This is understandable—sexual violence is a horrific violation that has far-reaching and long-lasting physical, psychological, and social consequences. However, focusing almost exclusively on SEAH risks undermines the broader picture of what safeguarding should entail.

Sexual misconduct is indeed one of the most damaging types of abuse that can occur within an organization, but it is not an isolated issue. When sexual violence is present, it is usually a symptom of deeper organizational flaws. There are often systemic issues of power, oversight, and accountability that create the opportunity for it to occur in the first place. Focusing narrowly on SEAH does not address these larger structural weaknesses that make such abuses possible, nor does it prevent other forms of harm from emerging.

Safeguarding Must Be Broader than SEAH
Effective safeguarding should be a comprehensive approach that ensures all aspects of a person’s safety and well-being are protected. It should encompass a wide range of potential abuses of power, from physical and emotional harm to exploitation, harassment, discrimination, and bullying. When safeguarding practices fail in one area, they often fail across the board. The reality is that if organizations fail to address other forms of abuse, they are also failing to address the root causes that enable sexual violence to occur.

 First, let’s consider the issue of Safer Recruitment practices. Are organizations prioritizing speed over thorough vetting processes to cut costs or meet urgent program needs? Are political connections or specific technical competencies being valued more than the candidate's attitudes, principles, and potential contribution to a positive workplace culture? Such practices undermine the safety and integrity of recruitment, as insufficient background checks, rushed hiring decisions, or incongruence with ethical practices can allow candidates with problematic behaviors or inadequate qualifications to gain access to adults experiencing vulnerabilities and children.

Secondly, let’s reflect on the use of volunteers to replace paid staff – with or without adequate training or supervision – is another significant concern. This practice can lead to the exploitation of volunteer labor, creating an environment where the quality of programs and reputation of the organization may be compromised. Furthermore, volunteers may be placed in roles for which they are not properly prepared.

 Lastly, there's the issue of an inadequate risk management framework, particularly the lack of thorough safeguarding risk assessments. Many organizations view risk assessments as burdensome or unnecessary, but in reality, risk management is a fundamental aspect of safeguarding. It requires continuous, honest evaluation of potential risks within an organization's programs and systems. By fostering internal dialogue, it helps identify the intersectionality of harms and develop effective mitigation strategies. If risk management is not prioritized, organizations set themselves up for failure, leaving staff, program participants, and the communities they serve vulnerable to all forms of harm including SEAH. Together, these issues—rushed recruitment, volunteer exploitation, and inadequate risk management—undermine the core principles of safeguarding.

Accountability and Values Matter
A robust safeguarding system requires clear accountability structures and a strong organizational culture. In organizations where values of safety, respect, and well-being are not consistently modeled or enforced, other types of abuse are likely to flourish. When leadership turns a blind eye to abuses of power, or is indifferent or dismissive of power imbalances, mistreatment of staff, or implement inactionable policies, it sends a dangerous message that these issues are not important. This, in turn, sets the stage for more egregious harm, including sexual misconduct. 

Organizational representatives, too, must be fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. Are they equipped with the knowledge and training to spot early signs of harm? Do they understand their responsibility to report concerns before they escalate into serious issues? And, importantly, do staff know what constitutes harm in the first place? Do they understand the nuanced and often subtle ways that harm can manifest—not just in terms of sexual misconduct but in physical or emotional abuse, negligent conduct, exploitation, discrimination, and harassment?

Moving Beyond SEAH: A Holistic Approach
It’s time for the NGO sector to broaden its understanding of safeguarding and shift towards a more holistic approach. Safeguarding should not simply be seen as a set of rules to prevent SEAH. Instead, it should be integrated into every aspect of an organization’s culture and operations, from integration into routine staff and department meetings to recruitment and training and throughout the program lifecycle, including evaluation and applied learning. This means safeguarding dialogue and policies must go beyond sexual misconduct to include protections against emotional, physical, social, and psychological harm. Accountability systems should be transparent, with clear mechanisms for reporting and addressing all forms of misconduct and equipping organizations in knowing how to manage all types of safeguarding reports. Staff should be trained to recognize and act on concerns, and organizational culture must prioritize critical thinking, continuous learning, cultural humility, and respect for each other.

The truth is, if an organization is not safeguarding against all forms of harm—sexual, physical, emotional, social, and psychological—then the structures that allow sexual misconduct to occur will remain in place. The focus on sexual violence, while essential, must be part of a broader safeguarding framework that addresses the underlying issues. This framework must prioritize well-being, ensure clear oversight, promote healthy boundaries, and maintain systems of accountability that operate at every level of the organization.

A Call to Action
The sector must do better. Safeguarding cannot be equated with protection against sexual misconduct or violence alone—it is about creating a culture of care and accountability that addresses all aspects of well-being and recognizing the right of every person to be protected for all forms of harm. It is about ensuring that harmful power structures and hierarchies are dismantled to empower children, adults experiencing vulnerabilities, communities, and NGO representatives to be partners in matters that impact their lives and work. Only by broadening the scope of safeguarding can we ensure that all forms of harm are prevented, and that while sexual misconduct is a critical concern, it is not the only area of safeguarding addressed while other abuses of power are overlooked. It is time for NGOs to recognize that safeguarding must be comprehensive, nuanced, and ongoing. Only then can we truly build safe, accountable organizations that prioritize the protection and well-being of everyone involved.