TENNESSEE
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Friday, Nov. 18, 2016
Victims want minister ousted
He admits not calling police in alleged abuse case
Still, he’s now with a regional Baptist group in TN
“This just encourages others to stay silent about abuse,” group says
Instead, SNAP wants church officials to “punish him and deter cover ups”
That’s how wrongdoing will be discouraged & victim will heal, support group maintains
A support group wants a Mid-South church organization to oust a Baptist minister who admits he didn’t call police when alleged child sex crimes were reported to him.
Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, are urging Mid-South Baptist Association in Tennessee to “denounce, discipline and publicly remove Rev. Scott Payne” from any posts in their organization.
In media interviews, Payne admits that he did not call police when he was confronted in the 1990s with allegations that Immanuel Baptist Church assistant youth pastor Chris Carwile had abused kids.
In recent news reports, several victims have come forward to tell their abuse stories and file police reports against Carwile. He’s worked recently at the main branch of the Memphis Public Library until he was suspended days ago.
SNAP contends that Payne’s actions are “a violation of common sense, common decency, pastoral responsibility and state law.”
“Rev. Payne should have no role or position in any church or religious body and should be drummed out of the ministry and never again given a position in which he might again ignore or hide child sexual abuse, either known or suspected,” David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP. “We hope law enforcement will investigate his actions – and inaction – and consider prosecuting him.”
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