(888) 407-0224
“S.N.A.P. (Survivors Network of those Abuse by Priests) – featured in Spotlight movie – to hold press conference about new clergy abuse case filed today by Crew Janci against Seventh-day Adventist Church. Read the text of the S.N.A.P. Press Release below:”
New church abuse & cover up case is filed
Suit: Minister knew of crimes but kept quiet
Two youngsters kept being victimized as a result
Group wants those who “concealed the horror” to be punished
Even as registered sex offender, church let him work with kids
Group urges Adventist officials to “aggressively reach out to other victims”
WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will
–disclose a new child sex abuse and cover up lawsuit against a local church,
–harshly criticize a minister whose refusal to call the police led to more child sex crimes,
–prod church officials to punish him (or others) and “seek out other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers,” and
–beg anyone who may have “seen, suspected or suffered crimes” in the congregation to “protect kids by calling police.”
WHEN
Tuesday, May 17, 11:00 a.m.
WHERE
On the sidewalk outside Multnomah County Courthouse (corner of Fourth & Salmon) in Portland
WHO
Three-four clergy sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including a Missouri man who is the organization’s long time director
WHY
A new civil child sex abuse and cover up lawsuit is being filed in Portland. It charges that Seventh Day Adventist officials near Eugene refused, for years, to call the police about a congregant and church leader they knew had sexually violated children. Instead, church officials kept silent and two kids kept being molested.
In recent years, the 17 million-member Seventh-Day Adventist Church has been the fastest-growing Christian denomination in the US (based in Silver Spring, Maryland, info@contact.adventist.org, media@contact.adventist.org, 301-680-6315, Maryland 301-680-6000). It has 72,000 churches around the world.
In the past two decades, church records show that more than 400 abuse reports were made against SDA church officials in the US, involving more than 525 child victims, costing the church more than $30 million.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/08/lawuit_accuses_seventh_day_adv.html
In March 1981, Dee Xavier “Skip” Dompier admitted to child sex crimes when questioned by police. That same month, in a separate police interview, a Veneta Seventh Day Adventist (VSDA) pastor admitted knowing about the abuse.
Dompier was later convicted of sexually abusing two kids. No charges were brought against the pastor.
According to the new lawsuit, Dompier’s crimes began in 1976, when he sexually abused a 12 year old (including oral sex and intercourse). Within a year or two, that youngster disclosed the abuse to Veneta church officials.
In response, the pastor and church elders went Dompier’s home, prayed for him but did not call law enforcement.
In 1980, Dompier admitted to VSDA’s pastor that he had sexually exploited another child, the suit says. The pastor suggested Dompier see a psychiatrist but Dompier did not. Dompier later asked the pastor for help, but the pastor told Dompier he had no experience with such issues.
Dompier continued to sexually abuse both kids.
But for four years (2004-2008), despite being aware that Dompier is a registered sex offender, church officials let him work with children in the Florence SDA Church, the suit charges.
Dompier was born in Eugene, Oregon in 1939, joined the Veneta SDA Church in 1973 and is now deceased.
The defendant in the suit, which seeks $8 million (and punitive damages later), is the Western Oregon Conference of the SDA which is headquarters in Gladstone Oregon. It’s being filed in Multnomah County by Portland attorneys Steve Crew (888.407.0224, steve@crewjanci.com) and Peter Janci (503.306.0224, peter@crewjanci.com). They have represented hundreds of victims of sexual violence across the US who were hurt in schools, churches, Boy Scouts and other institutions. A copy of the lawsuit will be available on the attorneys’ website: crewjanci.com.
The victims in this case are identified as “Does.” Both still live in Oregon and are in their 40s.
CONTACT
David Clohessy 314 566 9790, davidgclohessy@gmail.com, Bill Crane 503-836-2152, SNAPoregon@gmail.com, Barbara Dorris 314 503 0003 cell, bdorris@SNAPnetwork.org
