Church Should Be "Shunned," Victims Say

SNAP
July 10, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/ky_church_should_be_shunned_victims_say

A Kentucky pastor, who is also a registered violent sex offender, has been arrested again, this time for recent child sex crimes. We are grateful to the brave victim who came forward and we demand answers about how a registered sex offender was allowed to work as a pastor.

[tennessean.com]

Roy Neal Yoakem, pastor at New Gospel Outreach Church in Scottsville, was recently arrested for abusing a young teenager. Yoakem is a convicted sex offender and is a registered violent sex offender in Tennessee. It is outrageous that such a dangerous man and proven criminal was given a position of trust and a chance to hurt more children.

New Gospel Outreach Church officials should immediately and publicly explain why they acted so recklessly. They should provide immediate and public outreach to all parishioners and members of the community, begging anyone who saw, suspects or suffered sexual abuse by Yoakem to come forward and report to police. Anyone who helped Yoakem get his position or helped cover-up his crimes should be investigated.

And we urge the broader Scottsville community to denounce and shun this church. Those who knowingly put innocent children in the path of a proven predator should be punished. We especially call on other ministers in and around Scottsville to use their pulpits and voices to harshly condemn New Gospel members and officials for behaving so irresponsibly.

Predators rarely abuse once and Yoakem already has a history of abusing children. We are concerned that others are suffering in silence and self-blame. We encourage them to be brave, report to police and start healing.