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May 24, 2022

Report details widespread cover-up of sexual abuse among Southern Baptist leaders 5/23/22 Transcript

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Rev › Blog › Transcripts › Abuse Report › Report details widespread cover-up of sexual abuse among Southern Baptist leaders 5/23/22 Transcript

A scathing new report describes allegations of extensive coverups of sexual abuse for decades by senior Southern Baptist leaders on 5/23/22. Read the transcript here.

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John: (00:00)
Now to a shocking claim that one of the country’s largest Christian denominations suppressed, ignored, and stonewalled sexual abuse allegations for nearly two decades. A scathing new report commissioned by the Southern Baptist Convention describes extensive coverups by senior leaders who were quote, “… singularly focused on avoiding liability.” Here’s CBS’s Nikki Battiste.

Nikki Battiste: (00:25)
At just eight years old, Hannah-Kate Williams says her father, a Southern Baptist pastor began sexually abusing her.

Hannah-Kate Williams: (00:33)
I disclosed to SBC leadership and was promised it would be taken care of, and it would never happen again. But it did.

Nikki Battiste: (00:42)
Now, a seven month independent investigation revealed for almost two decades survivors of abuse contacted the Southern Baptist Convention executive committee to report child molesters and other abusers, only to be met time and time again with resistance, stonewalling, and even outright hostility. The 288 page report also found the SBC kept a secret running list of accused Baptist ministers to avoid being sued, even as the committee publicly claimed it didn’t have the authority to create such a list. More than 400 people on it were believed to be affiliated with the SBC at some point. And allegations of abuse went up to the very top, including a sexual assault claim against former SBC president Johnny Hunt, which he denied in a Facebook post Sunday night.

Nikki Battiste: (01:33)
But what as a survivor would you like to see change?

Hannah-Kate Williams: (01:36)
I would like to see leaders taking the recommendations of outside experts not as attacks on their beliefs, but as tools to protect those in their care.

Nikki Battiste: (01:50)
In a statement, the SBC’s executive committee said it was reviewing the report and is quote, “… committed to doing all we can to prevent future instances of sexual abuse in churches.” Williams filed a lawsuit against the SBC on Friday.

Hannah-Kate Williams: (02:05)
I was called a liar. I was called mentally deranged, incompetent, an enemy of God.

Nikki Battiste: (02:14)
We reached out to Williams’ father but have not heard back. In the past few months, I’ve spoken with about a dozen other men and women who say they were sexually abused by church leaders between the ages of 9 and 14, but the statutes of limitations in their cases have expired. John.

John: (02:33)
Nikki Battiste. Thank you, Nikki.

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