In the last 20 years, nearly 400 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers were accused or convicted of sexual abuse, molestation, rape or impregnation by over 700 victims. More of the sex offenders are from Texas than any other state.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting sexual abuse induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been sexually abused by a person at the Southern Baptist Church, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Sex Abuse Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
UPDATE: Justice Department Investigates Sex Abuse in Southern Baptist Convention
In August 2022, leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention reported that the Justice Department had opened an investigation into its handling of sexual abuse claims.
Earlier this year, the SBC released a previously secret list of hundreds of pastors and church-affiliated workers or volunteers who were credibly accused of sexual abuse. One pastor from Arkansas, Ronnie Floyd was named in the report more than 120 times.
Investigators found that the church responded to sexual abuse survivors with “resistance, stonewalling and even outright hostility” over nearly 20 years of allegations against clergy.
The Justice Department investigation opened shortly after Guidepost Solutions, an outside consultant, released an explosive report on sex abuse by Southern Baptists. Investigators concluded that SBC leaders routinely silenced sexual abuse survivors and fought against reforms.
The problems go all the way to the top. Guidepost reported former SBC president Johnny Hunt was credibly accused of sexually assaulting the young wife of another SBC pastor. Hunt admitted to sexual impropriety with the woman, who was 24 years younger than him, but claimed it was “consensual,” which she strongly denied.
Baptist Pastor Pays $450,000 Settlement for Sexual Assault
In 2017, a lawsuit was filed against Paul Pressler, former vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, by a man who said Pressler raped him 2-3 times a month. In 2004, Pressler paid the man a $450,000 settlement for physical assault. Two other men have also accused Pressler of sexually molesting them or soliciting them for sex.
Convicted Child Molester Re-Hired at Southern Baptist Church in Florida
Darrell Gilyard, a convicted child molester who served 3 years in prison for child molestation, was re-hired and allowed to return to the pulpit at Christ Tabernacle Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. He also admitted to impregnating a woman who said he raped her during a counseling session.
What is the problem?
Since 1998, over 700 victims of sexual abuse have accused 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and workers of everything from exposure to pornography to the rape and impregnation of teenagers, according to an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News.
Who Are the Victims?
Some of the victims were as young as 3 years old when they were raped in Sunday school classrooms or the pastors’ studies. Many victims were teenagers who were molested, raped repeatedly, photographed nude, or exposed to pornography and sent explicit texts.
Sex Offenders Allowed to Continue Working in SBC Churches
At least 220 sexual offenders have been convicted, including nearly 100 who are in prison, but dozens of cases are still pending — and several of the accused are still working in SBC churches. Pastors Leslie Mason, Michael Lee Jones and Joseph S. Ratliff all continued to work within the SBC church after being accused of sexual misconduct.
SBC Lawyer Kept Secret Database of Sex Offenders
In May 2022, investigators discovered that a longtime SBC lawyer, August “Augie” Boto had secretly kept a list of accused sex abusers in Southern Baptist churches. However, he claimed that it would not be possible to make the list public or share it with churches to prevent abusers from continuing to work in churches.
The SBC church claimed it had no central database to track sex abuse convictions or allegations. Investigators found that several registered sex offenders returned to the pulpit after being convicted.
“At least 10 SBC churches welcomed pastors, ministers and volunteers since 1998 who had previously faced charges of sexual misconduct. In some cases, they were registered sex offenders.”
The SBC church rules do not expressly ban convicted sex offenders from working, but strictly bans gay men and female pastors, and Southern Baptists view homosexuality as a sin.
Texas Pastor Admits to Impregnating Teenager
Dale “Dickie” Amyx, who was still listed as a pastor at the Bolivar Baptist Church in Texas as of February 2019, was accused of sexually molesting Debbie Vasquez since she was 14 and admitting to impregnating her when she was 18 and he was a married 28 year-old.
The church never fired him, reported him to the police, or even stopped him from leading congregations. Instead, he continued to rise through the ranks of the church and also worked at a high school in Arizona — where Amyx allegedly continued to sexually exploit girls.
Do I have a Southern Baptist Church Sex Abuse Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting sexual abuse induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been sexually abused by a person at the Southern Baptist Church, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Sex Abuse Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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