Woman Sues Church, Youth Pastor; Alleges Sexual Molestation

By Christine Dinh
The 23ABC
May 30, 2012

http://www.turnto23.com/news/31128100/detail.html

[with video]

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A local woman is filing a lawsuit claiming a youth minister from Four Square Church molested her when she was a child.

23 ABC is not identifying the youth pastor accused in the case because he was a juvenile at the time of the alleged assaults.

In a civil complaint, Jessica Bowman claims that, starting from 1987 when she was 4 years old, she was sexually molested by a 14-year-old Four Square church volunteer who later became her youth minister.

"(I remember) him touching me, touching me under my clothes, making me touch him," said Bowman.

Bowman said the acts happened at the Day Spring Four Square Church located on Terrace Way.

He also molested her at her home and his home, Bowman said.

Bowman's family and the pastor's family were close friends.

"He'd get me alone to play doctor," said Bowman.

Bowman said the molestation stopped when she was 8.

"I think he stopped molesting me when I was 8 because he realized I was getting older and he was worried I might say something, so he stopped," said Bowman.

Bowman said in 1996, she and her family went to church leaders with the allegations.

"The Four Square denomination (delete extra space between words) wrote me a letter saying, 'Sorry, and here's some money for therapy.'

They gave me $1,500 so I could go to therapy," said Bowman.

"They encouraged Jessica and her family not to report to law enforcement. Jessica was quieted," said Bowman's attorney, Anthony De Marco.

In 2010, Bowman took her allegations to the police.

"Police went out and interviewed him and he admitted to law enforcement that he'd abused her and other girls," said De Marco.

Despite that, De said the man never went to jail because the statute of limitations had expired.

Now Bowman is suing the pastor and the International Four Square Church.

"Church leadership did not report it to law enforcement as they are obligated to do," said De Marco.

Bowman is seeking a jury trial and restitution for damages.

"I have anxiety disorder (and post-traumatic stress disorder). I've had a lot of damaging relationships with family members, friendships, stuff like that," said Bowman.

Beyond justice for herself, she's seeking justice for other potential victims of pastor accused in her sex abuse.

"I don't want other kids to be abused. I want other victims to come forward because I know there are other victims out there," said Bowman.

"Abusers don't stop abusing children until they're forced to. The only way they are forced to is if the children they molested come forward," said De Marco.

"I'm not going to be quiet. I'm going to continue and he's not going to get away with it and neither is the church," said Bowman.

Calls to the International Four Square Church for comment and the county District Attorney's Office to find out if a criminal complaint was ever filed and why he was never jailed were not returned.