The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
February 13, 2019

Report Uncovers 20 Years of Sexual Abuse in Southern Baptist Church
-------------------------------------------------------------------

A new, sweeping investigation by the Houston Chronicle and the San
Antonio Express-News reveals 20 years of sexual abuse allegations within
the Southern Baptist Church, with over 700 victims, including many
children-some as young as 3 years old. Three hundred eighty Southern
Baptist leaders and volunteers have been accused of rape, abuse and
various forms of sexual misconduct. Around 220 of those have been
convicted of sex crimes or were given plea deals. The report also found
that members of the church pressured some women to get abortions after
becoming pregnant as a result of assault, or threatened to shun them
from the church. The church is the largest Protestant denomination in
the country. The report has prompted calls for investigations into the
church and their role in covering up and enabling the abuse.


.