Christian Camp Abuse Victim Criticizes Lenient Sentence for Pastor
By Stephane Massinon
The victims of a historic sexual assault perpetrated by the manager of a summer camp say they are disappointed with the sentence the abuser received and worry it will discourage victims of other historic cases from ever coming forward. Mark Archibald, 56, was sentenced to 12 months of house arrest, then six months of abiding by a curfew, on Friday in Red Deer. The Crown had sought a sentence of federal time of two years and an additional four or five months after Archibald pleaded guilty last year to the indecent assault of three teenage boys in the 1970s while running a Christian camp. “Jake,” the complainant who wrote the letters containing the allegations against Archibald that got police involved last year, said he was hoping for jail time. “I don’t believe it’s taken seriously,” Jake (who can’t be identified because of a court publication ban) said on Saturday. “I don’t know what a person has to do to a child to receive jail time in this country.” Archibald, who went by the name of Greywolf at Camp Silversides, admitted to sexual offences ranging from touching a boy’s genitals to forced oral sex. Jake worries the sentence will discourage people who have suffered from other historic sexual offences from coming forward. “They know it takes great courage and you really put yourself out there. To have it treated in such a cavalier way, it’s disheartening. I think it discourages people from coming forward because they know there won’t be justice and yet they have to expose themselves and be vulnerable once again,” said Jake. “Thomas,” another victim, was originally angered when he heard of the sentence, but said the feeling is not productive. “Being mad isn’t going to help. Trying to find solutions so this doesn’t happen to other kids is the whole goal of this,” said Thomas, who also cannot be identified. “It’s not so much whether Mark goes to jail or not. It’s whether the organization will take responsibility for what happened when he was under their employment,” said Thomas. “What I see again is the church rallying around Mark. There’s no mention of the victim, no mention of trying to get help. It’s all about the perpetrator and restoring him. That’s not the Bible that I read.” While Archibald’s supporters were given the chance to write reference letters, and 41 people did, Thomas said he wishes the victim’s families could have also written in. “What would I have said?” “This has torn my family apart. It has torn (Jake)’s family apart,” said Thomas. The defence successfully argued for a conditional sentence, saying Archibald pleaded guilty, was co-operative with the investigation, was remorseful and had no prior criminal history. Judge Thomas Schollie agreed and at first sentenced Archibald to six months house arrest, which was later changed to 12 months. “I’m satisfied he is not a pedophile. For a short period of his life, his brain wasn’t working too well,” said Schollie, Archibald said after court he felt “no satisfaction” from the sentence and would begin serving his time at home. “I’m very sorry for my actions,” he said Friday. As part of the conviction, Archibald’s name will be added to the sex offender registry. Crown prosecutor Anders Quist said there is a 30-day window to decide if the case will be appealed, but said the decision is not up to him. Contact: smassinon@calgaryherald.com
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