Published by February 11, 2019 – The investigation also discovered that numerous individuals from the church, who had allegations of sexual offenses against them spanning over more than two decades, were subsequently permitted to rejoin their church roles in some manner. The inquiry revealed around 380 allegations against church leaders, involving roughly 700 victims, with some victims being as young as 3 years old at the time of their assault.
Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has been the victim of sexual abuse or harassment, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit and our lawyers can help.
Table Of Contents
What’s the problem?
The accused represented an array of the Baptist Church’s upper echelon (i.e. pastors and ministers), but also members at the other end of the flock, such as Sunday School workers and unpaid church volunteers, according to the report.
About 220 have thus far been convicted or taken plea deals to avoid prison, and dozens of lawsuits are still pending, the investigators said. Nearly 100 are still behind bars.
More than 100 of the accused are registered sex offenders, and some have returned to the pulpit. At least 35 church pastors, employees and volunteers who exhibited predatory behavior were still able to find jobs at churches, the investigation found.
Due to the tendency by each Baptist Church to operate as its own individual entity, any attempt to pass a binding protocol regarding allegations of sexual abuse that all Baptist churches would follow would be considered a long shot at best. Instead, the committee put together a report that lead investigator August Boto claims “accepted the existence of the problem rather than attempting to define its magnitude.”
Related sexual abuse claims:
FAQs
Who can file a claim in the Southern Baptist Church sexual assault lawsuit?
Survivors of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Church, or their legal representatives, can file a claim if they were abused by church officials or if there was a failure to report or address the abuse properly.
What compensation might survivors receive in the Southern Baptist Church sexual assault lawsuit?
Survivors may be entitled to compensation for emotional distress, therapy and medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages related to the abuse and institutional negligence.
What are the main allegations in the Southern Baptist Church sexual assault cases?
The allegations include sexual abuse by church officials, failure by church leadership to report abuse, cover-ups, and an overall lack of action to protect victims or prevent further abuse.
Has the Southern Baptist Convention acknowledged the abuse allegations?
Yes, the Southern Baptist Convention has faced significant public scrutiny and has acknowledged some of the allegations, though many victims claim that the response has been inadequate in addressing the widespread abuse.
Do I have a Southern Baptist Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?
The Sexual Abuse Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Southern Baptist lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new sexual harassment cases in all 50 states.
Free Case Evaluation: Again, if you’ve been the victim of any form of sexual abuse, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a suit and we can help.
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