Was David Joe Rich Listed in SBC Abuse Investigation Report?
David Joe Rich, the former pastor of Springs Community Baptist Church in Apopka, FL, was arrested in 1998 for sexually abusing second and third graders in 1998 and 1995-96. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison and 10 years on probation. He is on the sex offenders registry in Florida.
SBC Guidepost Report PDF
According to the Washington Post, a 300-page report was released on Sunday, May 22, 2022. The report consists of horrifying brand-new specifics concerning particular abuse instances and clarify how denominational authorities actively hindered abuse prevention and reform for many years.
Southern Baptist Convention leaders have actually announced an extensive and independent 3rd party examination that revealed that abusers were often neglected, forgotten, or perhaps denounced by high-level congregation administrators from within this religious denomination of more than 16 million individuals. Moreover, it revealed these leaders typically deceived their own members to prevent them from being aware of the flagrant sexual wrongdoing.
Continue reading more about the SBC Guidepost Report PDF
A Story of Dismissed Abuse
Nearly all of these disclosed events occurred outside of the statutes of limitations, making it uncertain how many predators were in fact charged. According to the report, an in-house list of abusers was kept.
One victim talked about being treated with animosity as she alleged she was sexually abused by a youth pastor. The accused pastor served in several Southern Baptist churches in a number of states. At a conference with the SBC leaders in 2007, a member of the Exec Council “turned his back to her during her speech and another chortled.”
Accountability in the Baptist Church
Russell Moore, the former head of the SBC’s policy arm, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, mentioned ‘this is not all Southern Baptists, take a look at all the good we do.’ The report shows a trend of stonewalling, retaliation, coverup, and intimidation.” He desires this report will deliver much-needed change and hold those liable for their sexual assault.
The report claims that a key Southern Baptist leader was credibly implicated of sexual assault only 1 month after finishing his two-year spell as the convention’s president. The report likewise names three previous presidents of the convention, a previous vice president, and the former head of the SBC’s administrative branch as prominent SBC leaders who aided in protecting and even encouraged believed sexual predators.
He hopes this report will bring much-needed reform and hold those accountable for their actions.
To learn more about resources available for survivors in Florida, visit this page: https://abuseguardian.com/sexual-assault-lawyer/florida/sex-trauma-therapist-fl/
Abuse Guardian for Florida
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