Victims Applaud Abuse Seminar, but Urge More Action

SNAP
February 27, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/ms_victims_applaud_abuse_seminar_but_urge_more_action

Victims applaud abuse seminar

But they urge use of "outside experts"

Church protected predator just two years ago

Aggressive outreach to find victims, witnesses vital to child safety

Convicted minister may have more victims, they fear

A support group for child sex abuse victims is applauding a Mississippi Baptist church—that just recently protected and embraced a now-convicted child predator—for holding an abuse awareness and prevention seminar. But the group wants church officials to do “aggressive outreach” to encourage victims to report to police and to add at least one "outside" secular expert to the panel.

Officials at Morrison Heights Baptist Church are planning a sex abuse awareness training conference with a goal "to equip church leaders with the skills and resources they need to keep children safe." The conference focuses on reporting crimes, creating a safe environment, and a victim's story of abuse and recovery.

“Outside” secular experts are essential if this seminar is to be successful at creating a safer environment for children. “Secular experts have no bias when it comes to helping institutions and officials adopt child and victim friendly policies. They are able to put the needs of children before the reputations of institutions,” said David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP.

[baptistchildrensvillage.com] https://www.baptistchildrensvillage.com/sexual-abuse-awareness-training

But SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), wants church leaders to go a step further by aggressively seeking out more victims and witnesses of abuse. In 2011, a former music minister at the church, John Langworthy, admitted from the pulpit that he had molested kids in two states. A Dallas news investigation showed that accusations against Langworthy date back to 1989, when Prestonwood Baptist Church leaders quietly investigated the allegations and fired him but failed to report him to the police, allowing him to move back to MS where he continued to work with kids as a minister and public school choir teacher for the next 22 years.

[wfaa.com]

Morrison church leaders also fought SNAP's efforts to expose Langworthy's crimes.

Langworthy was eventually forced to resign from Morrison Heights, but only after his admission was exposed by victims. In January 2013, he pled guilty to sexually abusing 5 boys ages 6-13 from 1980-84. Although he was sentenced to 50 years in prison, he did not serve any time in jail.

Leaders of SNAP fear there may be more victims of Langworthy in Mississippi and Texas who were forced into shame and silence. They think that strong action can convince those victims to come forward and report to police.

“We are glad that church officials are hosting this conference. It is crucial that people learn more about child sex crimes and cover ups, especially in places where kids should be the safest,” said Amy Smith. “But decisive action is even better than education. And Morrison Heights officials still aren't taking strong steps to find and help others who may have seen, suspected or suffered child sex crimes by Langworthy or anyone else."

“Thankfully, Morrison Heights officials failed to silence a brave survivor whose courage was stronger than Morrison Heights' church officials attempts to protect Langworthy," said David Clohessy. "It is critical that Morrison Heights reach out to others and urge anyone who has seen, suspected or suffered child sex crimes by Langworthy to call police right away, to begin to heal, and to protect other kids.