LA--New Orleans church must do “outreach,” abuse victims say

By David Clohessy
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
August 10, 2016

http://www.snapnetwork.org/la_new_orleans_church_must_do_outreach_abuse_victims_say

A few days ago, a Louisiana minister was been sentenced to 10 years in prison for child sex crimes. We call on his former colleagues and congregants at First Baptist Church of New Orleans to aggressively seek out others who may have information or suspicions about his crimes and beg them to call law enforcement.

http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/courts/article_c65e9558-5d84-11e6-ac4e-e334e00e2d9b.html

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2016/08/ex-first_baptist_youth_ministe_1.html

It’s very possible that there are girls or young women in Louisiana and Mississippi now who are struggling with depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, eating disorders or suicidal thoughts because they too were repeatedly manipulated and exploited by Rev. Jonathan Bailey. It’s crucial that Baptist officials in both states use pulpit announcements, church websites and congregational mailings to search for others who could help police and prosecutors file more charges against this child molester. Regardless of what church officials do or don’t do, current and former members of Bailey’s congregations should also take steps like this to protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded.

We urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in churches or institutions to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling law enforcement, get justice by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.