sbc

Report Finds Southern Baptist Leaders Silenced Sexual Abuse Survivors

A 400-page report issued by a 3rd-party investigator into decades of systematic abuse was released recently. The recently-released report details how the Southern Baptist Convention systematically silenced and disparaged sexual abuse victims, ignored calls to stop predators, and resisted reform.

It concluded that leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention heavily focused on avoiding liability for their actions. The report stated that survivors were ignored and disbelieved when the accusations were brought to the Southern Baptist Convention.

Some of the key findings were:

  • A small group of leaders continuously mislead the executive committee relating to abuse issues
  • The leaders failed to inform its members of the risk of predators targeting the church due to a fear of lawsuits
  • Leaders kept a private list of abusive pastors despite claiming it was impossible to stop them
  • A former president was accused of sexually assaulting a woman and manipulating her into staying silent

The report is one of the most thorough and consequential regarding the systematic neglect and abusive practices institutions by a religious organization.  Survivors say that this investigation should be used as a blueprint and applied to the numerous other organizations that have faced sexual assault charges and lawsuits in the past.

If you or anyone you know has been the victim of sexual and/or physical abuse and is searching for legal rights and remedies, Slater Vecchio LLP is here to help. Please contact us for a free, private, confidential meeting.

Related Topics

Recent Stories
Picture of James Richards
James Richards
As a member of our class action practice group, I act for survivors harmed by institutional abuses in both class action and individual civil sexual assault claims. I believe that every harmed person deserves to be heard and advocated for.