“We” means the inclusion of both Workers (members of the Ministry) and Friends (members of the fellowship) who are part of this voluntary fellowship.
“Child” or “Children” refers to any person or persons under the age of eighteen (18) years.
“Parent” or “parental” are meant to be inclusive of both the parents as well as legal or appointed guardians of any children.
“Abuse” means any sexual contact of any kind with a child under the age of eighteen (18) years, without the child’s consent, or with consent where the law states that consent is not relevant.
“Victim” means a male or female person who, whilst a child, has been subject to alleged or actual sexual abuse.
Statement
As a voluntary fellowship we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for children.
All children have a right to feel and be safe. We are committed to the safety and well-being of all children. Should abuse or suspicion of abuse occur, we would support a caring and appropriate response.
The testimony of our voluntary fellowship is supported and maintained by openness and transparency. This guidance has been written with a focus on the safety of children who come into contact with or are part of this voluntary fellowship.
Purpose and Intent
The purpose of this guidance document is to impress the importance that we as a voluntary fellowship believe that the safety, welfare and well-being of children is paramount and believe that children should never experience abuse of any kind.
We are committed to conduct ourselves in a way that protects and safeguards children from any possible harm.
We are committed to support and respect the healing of survivors of abuse within or who were once part of this voluntary fellowship.
We have zero tolerance to abuse.
We will encourage a presumed victim or his or her parent/guardian to report alleged or reasonably suspected abuse to the police.
There will never be any attempt to manage the legal implications of abuse within this voluntary fellowship.
We encourage parental responsibility for providing education and boundaries to maintain child safety. We will respect any boundaries parents have in place. We encourage open conversation and education in families around child safety.
This guidance is to be made available and shared freely by all who are partakers in this voluntary fellowship.
Any person known to be under investigation or convicted of an offence against children will not be permitted to participate in activities that may provide an opportunity for that person to offend against any child.
Workers
This guidance document will be made available to all current and any future Workers who are or become part of the group of Western Australian Workers. All Workers commencing and continuing in the Gospel Work in Western Australia will complete and maintain a current Working with Children Check while they are working in Western Australia. They will ensure that they are respectful and acknowledge the rights of children at all times.
We commit to having an informal discussion between Workers at least once a year to promote and discuss on-going awareness of the issues involved in these documents and as well as identifying any changes that may be required to be made to them.
As a fellowship we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for children (under the age of 18). All children have a right to feel and be safe. We are committed to the safety and well-being of all children. We will ensure that a caring and appropriate response is initiated should abuse or suspicion of abuse occur.
This policy was written with a focus on children who come into contact with or are part of the fellowship.
The testimony of our fellowship is supported and maintained by an open and transparent policy.
Purpose
The safety, welfare and well-being of children is paramount; we believe children should never experience abuse of any kind.
We are committed to conduct ourselves in a way that protects and safeguards children from any possible harm.
We are committed to encourage and respect the healing of survivors of abuse within, or who were once part of, the fellowship.
We have zero tolerance to abuse and will comply with reporting requirements of any suspicion of abuse, on reasonable grounds, to the authorities.
We will not attempt to manage reported abuse cases within the fellowship.
We encourage reporting of any suspected abuse, on reasonable grounds.
To report in Victoria or Tasmania, contact the Police on 000 for emergencies or 131 444 for less urgent cases or visit a Police station in person.
We recognise parental responsibility for providing education and boundaries to maintain child safety. We will respect any boundaries parents have in place. We encourage open conversation and education in families around child safety.
We expect members of the fellowship to keep children safe.
This policy will be available to people participating in the fellowship.
Any person under investigation or convicted of an offence against a child will not be permitted to participate in activities that provide access to children.
We support a ministry that is itinerant and relies on the support of the fellowship to enable the Gospel to be shared.
All Workers have a responsibility to be aware of and support all aspects of a child-safe environment. They will undertake the following:
Complete child-safe training every 3 years.
Complete police checks every 3 years.
Adhere to this policy and the Workers’ Code of Conduct.
Ensure they are respectful of and acknowledge the rights of children, at all times.
Complete appropriate training upon joining the staff in Victoria.
Governance
We will ensure biennial review of this policy or as required.
We will maintain record of who has completed this training.
All Workers will be required to complete the appropriate training and will be provided with the Workers’ Code of Conduct.
All Workers will be provided with Victoria regulations and information in regard to reporting requirements.
“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4.12. “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5.22.
Children (Under 18) are a vital part of our fellowship; all Workers are responsible for promoting their safety, protection and well-being.
I will:
Adhere to the Child-Safe Policy and this Code of Conduct at all times.
Be a positive role model to children and follow accepted guidelines relating to physical contact.
Set clear boundaries about appropriate behaviour between children and myself and respect a child’s boundaries and personal space.
Listen and respond appropriately to the views and concerns of children.
Be transparent in my actions and whereabouts in relation to contact with children.
Apply the “rule of two” – avoid spending time alone with children, ensuring parents know and support this boundary, and have educated their children about it.
Wear publicly appropriate clothes in common areas during visits with families.
Address inappropriate behaviour towards children.
Ask for help if I am uncertain about child safety, or this Code of Conduct, or believe I have breached this Code.
Report suspected child abuse and neglect to the authorities as soon as reasonably practicable.
I will not:
Engage in behaviour or communication that causes children to feel uncomfortable, afraid or disempowered.
Use language that is inappropriate, offensive, harassing, abusive, or sexually suggestive or provocative when speaking around children.
Use any computer, mobile phone, video, or camera to exploit or harass children.
Do things for children of a personal nature that they can do for themselves, such as assisting with toileting.
Hit or physically assault children. This includes refraining from physical punishment or engaging in discipline.
Display favouritism, develop inappropriate or sexual relationships, or indulge in any form of sexual contact with children.
Engage in the grooming of children and/or families.
Rely on my position or my reputation and that of the fellowship to protect me.
Minimise or cover up a suspicion or allegation of abuse.
Investigate a suspicion or allegation of abuse by questioning a child or individuals involved but rather defer the matter to authorities.
Dismiss a child’s concerns or discourage disclosure.
Allow any child to enter a bedroom where I am staying in the company of myself and/or co-worker.
Some examples of appropriate and/or acceptable behaviour:
Handshakes, pats on the shoulder or back and shoulder-to-shoulder hugs.
Holding hands while walking with small children.
Sitting beside small children.
Having discussions one-on-one with older children in publicly accessible areas.
Encouraging children to respect personal spaces, i.e., knock on doors before entering.
Some examples of inappropriate and/or unacceptable behaviour:
Developing intimate or special relationships with children.
Advising children to keep communications or interactions secret.
Holding a small child on the lap except in the presence of an adult member of the family. Lifting or placing a school age or older child on your lap.
Wrestling, tickling, piggy-back rides or massaging.
Remarks that relate to sexual attractiveness or development.
Showing physical displays of affection in isolated areas of the premises such as bedrooms, bathrooms, private areas of the home or cars.
Sharing a bedroom with a child.
Inappropriate or lengthy hugs or kisses on the mouth.
Touching buttocks, genital areas, chest, knees, thighs, or legs.
Some examples of environments where additional caution should be used:
Camping environment
Convention grounds
Swimming areas
Physical sporting events
Workers staying with families without a co-worker.
In Conclusion:
I recognise that children have the right to feel safe at all times.
I recognise that child abuse has ongoing impacts and that the first step in healing for survivors starts with the telling of their experience.
Should a child disclose abuse to me I will respond with compassion and care. I will not make promises to the child I cannot keep e.g., in relation to a child asking to keep matters confidential. Instead, I will advise the child, “I will do everything I can to keep you safe.”
I will do all I can to make the child feel heard and supported.
I will complete mandatory reporting as required.
Mandatory Reporting of CSA in Victoria.
In Victoria, all adults are mandatory reporters.
What must be reported:
A reasonable belief that a sexual offence has been committed in Victoria against a child under the age of 16 years by another person of or over the age of 18 years. Any adult must disclose that information to a police officer as soon as it is practicable to do so, unless the person has a reasonable excuse for not doing so. Failure to disclose the information to police is a criminal offence.
Victoria and Tasmania Police Contact Numbers: 000 for emergency cases
131 444 for less urgent cases
Or visit a Police station in person.
Do not distribute this document without permission.
A few things should be mentioned at this time. Things have happened that have shaken us and brought distress, but it all serves to remind us that our hope and confidence are in the Lord and such distresses should help our hope and confidence to become more deeply rooted in the Lord. Psalm 118: 9&10, “It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man, It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.”
We are also reminded of the need to take heed to ourselves. 1Timothy 4: 16, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” This is written in to a servant of God, but many times in the Old Testament the whole congregation was exhorted to take heed to themselves.
The best way to help your neighbour with his garden is to tend to your own garden. Near the end of last year, all the Qld workers were advised to revise the CSA training program. We would like to remind everyone that if there are any concerns regarding sexual abuse, it needs to be taken to the appropriate authorities for the safety of our young ones, as we are not qualified to handle such matters. We cannot act on hearsay, without a proper investigation. Some of us hope to do some planning etc in Adelaide next week and we will appreciate your prayers.
The past few weeks have weighed on all our hearts. I am sure that this is not the first letter you have received on this topic, but I feel compelled to share what has been on my mind and heart as a woman and a mother.
In Judges 19 there was a horrific act of sexual violence committed. I remember reading this chapter for the first time in college. I was stunned and brought to tears. I have never heard this scripture spoken on. It’s never been on a Bible study list in my area, and for good reason! It’s difficult to read, difficult to understand, and difficult to talk about, much like what has been happening in recent weeks. What has encouraged me lately has been what happens in Judges 20. There is a response from all of Israel, they are united before the Lord as one man. They want to know how this happened! They didn’t blame the concubine for what had happened to her, even though she “played the harlot.” They didn’t leave others to deal with the problem because it hadn’t happened in their area. They didn’t try to ignore or repress their anger. They demanded that the men responsible be delivered up “that we may put them to death and remove the evil from Israel!” In the battle detailed in the chapter, Israel goes before the Lord repeatedly to ask for counsel, and again and again the Lord encourages them to fight. God was on their side in their desire to remove evil, and they were united in that desire.
In my conversations with others in the past weeks there has been a common theme. People are angry and wonder how such evil could happen in our fellowship. The biggest question has been how to keep these things from happening again. I do not have the answers, but I have some thoughts I hope will be worth at least considering and pondering. I don’t know what it’s like to be a worker. I certainly don’t know what it’s like to be an overseer. Some of the changes I suggest are likely already happening, and certainly I’m not the first to suggest them. I wonder if “my two cents” comes from the scripture about the widow with two mites. I don’t feel like I am much. I don’t know if my thoughts are much, but if they could help even a little I want to offer them.
One thing I want to beg of you brothers in authority is that you include the sisters in your talks and decisions. There are countless examples in the Bible of faithful women providing essential help and counsel. Esther. Abigail, and Deborah. Mary bringing the resurrection message to the Apostles. Priscilla, with her husband, explaining the gospel more fully. Phoebe, a helper of many’ and to Paul also. Our sisters are not likely to demand more authority or ‘usurp,’ but I feel confident that if they were called upon to help they willingly would. Women and children often feel more comfortable with sisters than they do with brothers. If we want victims to come forward honestly with faith that they will be listened to, it may be much easier to do if a sister is available. If you were abused by a brother worker, another brother worker may be the last person you would want to talk to about it! It may be helpful to the friends to know which sisters are open to having these discussions and have a direct line to brothers in authority. It can be very disheartening to have a difficult conversation and leave feeling as if nothing will change. Give sisters the opportunity to listen and the authority to do something about what they hear. Certainly sisters could be helpful to you yourselves in your efforts to understand the feelings of victims, as they would be familiar with the fears and anxieties most women carry with them through life. Likewise, inviting elders and parents to weigh in on changes could be extremely helpful for you. “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”
That brings me to my next suggestion. I don’t know the Bible as well as most of you. but the current structure of having one overseer over a state or multiple states does not seem to be scriptural. Why is it this way? Order is both scriptural and practical. There are decisions to be made, the scope of which I do not understand, and someone must be willing and able to make them. That being said, it seems so strange to me that the oversight of so many is often left to one fallible man. In God’s plans for marriage, parenthood, and the ministry he has not planned for anyone responsible for others to be alone. I. like many of the friends, know very little about how resources are managed and distributed to the ministry. When it is Spirit-led, it works. Dean is an example of the sacrifices of honest givers being grossly misused. Those who give have no desire for their name to be on a plaque or in a newsletter, but they give in faith that it will be used wisely. When I got married, I gave up some financial freedom, but I gained a tremendous help and counsel in my husband. With accountability comes assistance, and vice versa. If two or more are given the oversight of an area, what a burden would be lifted from the one who previously held the position on his own! Not only would no one be given ‘darkness’ to work evil within, but they would have at their disposal help, counsel, and encouragement to keep them from stumbling. Furthermore, it might be helpful for some who have been overseers for a while to res from the role and reacquaint themselves with what it is like to be under authority. Circulating into and out of the role could be refreshing both for overseers and for the body.
My final suggestion is a call for transparency and consistency, Kingdom-wide, it seems the issue of sexual immorality and abuse, especially against children, has long been a cancer in the fellowship. In the past perhaps it has been dealt with surgically, if at all. with attention given to specific areas of the body with the greatest problem. It seems that God Himself removed the tumor that was Dean. I feel that the time has come for the entire body to receive treatment, metaphorically speaking, so that the evil is removed and prevented from returning. Cancer treatments are not comfortable for the body, but they are necessary to preserve life. The Lord gave counsel to Israel to fight a battle against evil and He helped them prevail, but they still had to willingly go forth, putting their individual lives on the line for the sake of right, I hope that each of us in our own place and area are willing for whatever it takes to help the Church, not to get back to normal* but to move forward stronger and healthier, closer to God. This is an opportunity to examine ourselves, to look even at the structures and traditions we have been following and compare them once again to the Pattern and to the scripture. Some of these ideas are already being accomplished, but I write them here for the sake of clarity; metaphor only takes us so far.
Workers across the entire nation, even the world, should receive the same or similar training regarding sexual abuse and training should be refreshed frequently.
Workers should always be swift in informing the friends of any known or alleged perpetrators in their area, even if they haven’t been convicted of a crime. Unfortunately many perpetrators still avoid justice. It’s in our best interest to uphold a standard higher than that of the world and have no tolerance for harmful behavior.
Perpetrators or alleged perpetrators should be removed from positions of responsibility or authority.
Perpetrators or alleged perpetrators should not be allowed to attend fellowship meetings or conventions with children, anywhere, anytime. We live in a time where it is quite possible for them to enjoy the messages from home. Keeping them from situations of temptation or opportunity is the best thing for them, and keeping convention and home meetings a safe and comfortable place for women and children is the best thing for all. The repentant are likely to be willing for this.
Workers should not be afraid to give out worldly’ resources and encourage people to seek help and therapy. So many of you are facing this and feeling overwhelmed. You are called to a specific place, and that place is not one where you can or should ‘do it all.’ Call upon the Lord for help in referring people to experts that will be helpful for them. Providing local and relevant hotlines and resources at the bottom of sensitive emails would be helpful.
It’s unfortunate, but the reality is for many of us our trust in the oversight has been shaken, even while trust in God remains. In order to rebuild our trust we must be confident that if there is any misconduct discovered it will be swiftly and publicly dealt with. Tor there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.” Those whose deeds are evil love darkness. It is our responsibility to get the Lord’s help in shining light into the dark comers of our fellowship. We cannot hesitate in fear of what we’ll find, it’s better to see the full scope of the problem so we can be specific not only in our prayers but in our actions. This fellowship is worth fighting for.
A final plea: communicate, communicate, communicate! Overcommunication is better than undercommunication, because when people aren’t sure of what’s going on imagination takes over. Give necessary details and specifically name the crime when you can. It’s belter to send an email that says “I don’t know” or “more later” than for us to be left wondering, gossiping, and Googling. You can help avoid this by being swift and forthright in your communication, ensuring everyone receives the same information. When you are. and when things are handled appropriately, fewer and fewer will be able to find occasion to speak ill of our fellowship. Trust that the Lord is able to guide your words even when you must send them hastily, perhaps even more so: “whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit”
As a parent. I am very aware of my own responsibility toward my children. The intention of any concerned or outraged parent is not to pass all responsibility toward those in authority, but to create a united front to protect the most vulnerable. When we have open and honest communication between workers and friends we can better understand the unique anxieties of each place and can help each other be what we ought to be in our own place.
Thank you for being open to my concerns and thoughts. What I said was conveyed from an honest heart, and if anything expressed was off-base or incorrect I hope that the Spirit can work with the reader to interpret my hopes and intentions more accurately. 1don’t know if these words have the power to help or make a difference, but if they do you are welcome to share them.
WINGS has always been focused on support and guidance on every aspect of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and to support victims of CSA. We have been aware of adult-adult abuse but have not posted details of those cases. However we have decided to post the letter below, even though it is out of scope, as it illustrates the victim blaming and abuser shifting that has occurred in CSA cases.
The letter is being shared with permission given from the authors, Bob and Stacy Bainbridge, who own convention grounds in New Brunswick. The letter is in regards to their daughter, Morgan, who was in the work.
Dear Friends,
It is with Morgan’s permission that we send this email.
The absence of information and lack of acknowledgment of recent abuses and how its been or being handled has put and continues to put innocent people in harms way. So this is the reason for our letter. We would like to make clear the reason that Morgan is out of the work and in NZ.
In March of 2021 Morgan brought information forward to the overseer about emotional/psychological/narcissistic abuse and sexual misconduct by two of her older companions. After hearing her experience he agreed that this behavior was abuse. When Morgan then informed him who the abusers were, he changed the subject. In the following weeks and months he made efforts to slander, discredit, undermine and portray her as a liar to cover up and dismiss the abuse.
With the support and similar stories from others the overseer was forced to acknowledge the abuse yet again, the acknowledgement however, was short lived. With the continued support from staff other overseers were brought in from the USA. Many hours were spent in visits with the staff during their time here. It was at this time that one of these overseers suggested to Morgan that if she was just inventing trouble as an excuse to leave the work there was no need she could just leave.
During Nov. 2021 Special meetings (on line) the staff workers along with visitors were together in NS. At this time a visiting worker inappropriately touched Morgan on two separate occasions. Morgan realized at this point the behaviors of abuse were far greater and more wide spread then she could have imagined.
The eventual solution for all of this abuse was to move the abusers, one to Ontario, one temporarily to the USA and our overseer to Alberta.
Morgan’s only request at the time of reporting was for the abusers to step aside from the work and get the appropriate help/therapy needed. Instead we have made a safe haven for continued abuse. Some overseers in parts of Canada and the USA have sent letters to the elders in their fields to be read to their meetings, but many places still have have not.
These things we all know are unpleasant and awkward to talk about but we cannot ignore the hurt and damage being done to the innocent. Going forward we need to know that these abusers are not just being shuffled to a different state or province to continue their abuse. These people need to be reported to the proper legal authorities.
Think about the many, many, victims that have had their lives damaged and are spending months and years in therapy from the harm these abusers have caused. The lack of acknowledgement, action and dismissiveness exacerbates the feelings for the victims of abuse. These scars are with them forever, and the hurt goes far beyond the victims, it affects all of their family and friend.
Please encourage our overseers that have influence in directing our workers to take the right course of action, be transparent in dealing with these abusers, report abuse.
Victims need to be able to speak up and be taken seriously.
Ps: In case you wonder or are hopeful that things are maybe moving in the right direction as far as recognition of harm done and the need for change and action, Within the last two weeks, Bob had a conversation with an overseer who dismissed Morgan’s examples of abuse as “silly little things”. He also in this conversation was victim blaming. However it is encouraging to read a letter written by Darryl Doland who has acknowledged the part that he has played in being complicit in trivializing, silencing and censoring these reports of abuses. We can only pray that these sentiments are contagious.
Please feel free to share as we don’t have everyone’s contact details.
During these difficult weeks I’ve been keenly aware of your prayers & support. Words cannot express how meaningful your help has been during this time. Thanks so much!
First, I want to personally apologize for the times I have ‘tuned out’ the muted cry of a wounded, frightened person and left their plea for help unheeded. I am saddened and deeply sorry to know that my responses (or lack thereof) have hindered justice and/or healing in some way. I hope you will forgive me for this.
Along with our collective staff, I understand that many things must be different going forward. Even though many steps are still not defined, the following are a few of the things we are committed to:
1) We are going to ask everyone on our staff and the elders to take training courses regarding CSA (Child Sexual Abuse). We will not become investigators, counselors, etc., but we will educate ourselves, which is crucial for raising our awareness and safety levels. One of the courses we will take is called Ministry Safe ( https://ministrysafe.com/the-safety-system/awareness-training/ ). There is also a robust and free course (both General and Clergy segments) available from California (https://mandatedreporterca.com ). We also encourage each of you to sign up for one of these programs.
2) We are preparing a website to share important resources and guidelines regarding CSA. The site will contain information for workers, elders, parents, and children. Our goal is for all of us to do our part to keep each other safe. The information will be updated as new resources become available. We will also list several options for people who wish to report an incident of CSA or other types of abuse. I will send you a link to the site when it becomes active in the next little while.
3) Going forward, we will have a zero-tolerance policy regarding CSA. If we are made aware of CSA violations involving a victim who is presently a minor, we will report it to authorities immediately, in compliance with the law. If an adult confides in us about a personal CSA incident that occurred in their youth, we will urge them to consult professionals who can help them proceed in an advisable manner. We will support all who need support, and if the abuser is a present danger, will report this to authorities as mandated by the law.
Trust doesn’t come from demanding it, but by earning it. We’ve broken trust and we realize rebuilding that trust will be a process. We know you need more than a list of promises from us. You need to see proof that we care deeply for the most vulnerable people among us and that we will do all we can to protect them. You need to be assured that we will not shame or condemn victims…ever. You need evidence that we are being motivated and kept by divine love. These things are not too much to ask. This is what we want as well.
Likely there Is a lot that this letter doesn’t say that it should say. Hopefully you will feel free to contact me or any of the other workers with your concerns. Undoubtedly, part of our present trouble is the result of us not listening enough, or not listening with a full understanding. We want to hear from you and NEED to hear from you.
We have a great opportunity ahead of us, but it won’t come from quickly dismissing the reality of where we are today. We are at an important crossroads and only through genuine confession, humility and repentance will we make the right turn. We’ve got a lot of work in front of us, but I’m convinced by God’s grace our best days are ahead.
It is with heavy hearts we share news about a former worker Dean Bruer who has been accused of living a double life. There is substantial evidence that this is true which all has come to light since his passing. He never labored in our area but because he was a part of the (sic) this ministry it affects us all. I realize that many of you through different sources are already aware of this. We want you to know that this hurts us all.
We realize that we have a holy trust and this breach of confidence grieves us all. We want to live worthy of the trust you place in us and expect of us. So we apologize to you all that this has happened.
We know that you deserve to feel safe about our presence in your homes and around your children. In our area Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri we have our workers take instruction from MinistrySafe which teaches us to recognize unsafe tendencies and situations.
It grieves our heart to have to say these things, but if we work together, we can facilitate a safe environment that will promote a spiritual fellowship that edifies faith.
As members of this ministry, we want to assure you of how much we love and care for you. We are heartbroken by the disgrace of human failure, but our faith in the Lord’s ministry is unchanged. This is the ministry that our Lord established in the earth. Human failure can compromise its testimony, but it cannot undermine its validity. Judas Iscariot was also a part of this ministry, but in the wake of his betrayal the Holy Spirit still impelled this same ministry forward.
We want to assure you that we will do what we can to assist those who are victims of this abuse. We encourage you to first make sure that child abuse has been reported to the proper authorities. You can call the Oklahoma Abuse Hotline 1-800-522-3511 or www.okhotline.org ; Arkansas Abuse Hotline 1-800-482-5964, Missouri Abuse Hotline 1-800-392-3738.
Please feel free to visit with the workers in your field or with us or person you trust if you have concerns or questions. We will be confidential in-as-much as we can. It is also our legal responsibility in the case of underage victims to report abuse to the proper authorities. We understand that this is a very difficult journey for everyone. We remind all that by bringing to light this horrible behavior, we may be saving others from being victims of the same abuse.
A website devoted to provide victims of abuse a place to find the resources to help them is Voicesforthetruth.org.
12-month jail sentence for Courtice man busted in child exploitation investigation led by Peterborough officers
Project Peacehaven focused on proactively identify, locate and arrested people allegedly looking to sexually exploit children
By Todd Vandonk Reporter Peterborough Examiner, Mon., Sept. 27, 2021
A Courtice man has been jailed in connection to a child sexual exploitation investigation led by Peterborough County OPP and the Peterborough Police Service in 2019.
During the investigation, named Project Peacehaven, investigators accessed online chat rooms and social media applications designed for youth in order to proactively identify, locate and arrested people allegedly looking to sexually exploit children in Peterborough, police said at the time.
During the three-day investigation, police say investigators communicated with 36 suspects beyond simple introductions. The communications established ages, which police say were well outside the consensual parameters established by the Criminal Code, and included inappropriate sexual content. Police say six people were arrested when they arrived at a set location to meet a child for sexual purposes.
On Wednesday, Sept. 22, Courtice native Joshua Burgoyne was sentenced to 12 months in jail by Justice Stuart Konyer. Burgoyne was originally charged with four counts of luring a person under the age of 16, but at an earlier court date he pleaded guilty to one count of communicating with a person under the age of 16 for the purpose of sexual touching.
During his sentencing decision, Konyer said Burgoyne started a conversation with two undercover police officers in an online teen chatroom in 2019. The decoys identified themselves to be 13 and 14 years old while Burgoyne was 40 at the time. Further, Konyer said Burgoyne quickly turned the conversations sexual, and after two weeks he made an arrangement to meet for sexual purposes with who he thought was a teen. Burgoyne was met by officers and arrested for luring a child.
Konyer said sexual offences against children are often “devastating,” and strong sentences need to be handed down to protect children from “online predators,” like Burgoyne.
Before being sentenced, Burgoyne said he was sorry for what he did, and it was a one time thing.
However, Konyer said he was troubled by Burgoyne’s lack of insight because Burgoyne reported in the pre-sentence report that he had no sexual interest in children. Konyer said the chat history suggests otherwise, noting Burgoyne thought he was talking to young teens and was grooming them for weeks so he could meet them for sexual purposes. Konyer also noted that Burgoyne understood his actions were illegal, and mentioned in the chats that he was concerned about being caught.
Updated: February 27, 2019 Published: February 27, 2019
PALMER — Attorneys for two young people allegedly abused by a Wasilla teacher now say the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District hired Lukis Nighswonger after he was fired from a retail job for inappropriately touching a customer.
Lukis Nighswonger is arraigned on additional charges at the Palmer Courthouse in Palmer, AK on Tuesday, Oct 15, 2018. (Bob Hallinen / ADN)
Nighswonger, 36, taught at Iditarod Elementary School from 2005 until his arrest on sexual abuse charges last fall. He’s now charged with 19 counts of sex abuse of a minor and sexual assault in a criminal case involving at least eight victims dating back to 2002. Nighswonger told investigators he was a pedophile who “has been attracted to kids for as long as he can remember,” according to charging documents.
The arrest also revealed that Nighswonger was allowed to continue teaching even after students began reporting concerning behavior in 2012.
Two civil lawsuits filed last week added new claims the school district failed to protect students after a teacher and administrator at Iditarod dismissed concerns brought by the mother of a fourth-grader who told her Nighswonger touched him and made him feel “weird” during the 2015-16 school year.
The principal at Iditarod during that time, Scott Nelson, was placed on administrative leave from his current post at Juneau’s Riverbend Elementary School in mid-February, according to a report in the Juneau Empire. Officials with the Juneau School District said they were examining the Mat-Su lawsuits. Nelson is in his first year at Riverbend.
Attorneys for two former Nighswonger students, a boy and girl identified only by their initials, also say that Nighswonger was fired from a job at a clothing store in 2001 or 2002 for “touching a customer in a sexual way,” according to an amended complaint filed Monday in Anchorage Superior Court. District policy requires that the district conduct a pre-employment investigation of applicants and hire only people “whose background and behavior exemplifies a standard deemed appropriate for individuals working with children.”
Attorney Mike Kramer said his Fairbanks-based law firm was contacted by two people who attended the University of Alaska Anchorage with Nighswonger when he was a teaching student.
“People who knew him there reported to us that he worked at a clothing store in Anchorage while going to college and reported being fired from that job for sexually touching a male customer in a dressing room,” Kramer said Tuesday, adding his firm still needs to do more research about Nighswonger’s employment history. “We believe the district failed to adequately investigate his background including that job and the reasons for him leaving that job.”
The complaint also resurrects the claim that Iditarod administrators were concerned enough about Nighswonger’s behavior to move his classroom to a location visible to the principal. School superintendent Monica Goyette last year confirmed that Nighswonger was moved to a different classroom based on a potentially concerning student report six months earlier.
Asked whether the Mat-Su school district was aware of Nighswonger’s termination from his former job, a spokeswoman said all she could say was “at this time we’re cooperating with the investigators” from the Wasilla Police Department in the criminal case.
District officials did not immediately respond to a number of other questions.
Nighswonger’s next court appearance in his criminal case is a March 21 pretrial conference, with trial scheduled to begin in April.
Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) -A Palmer judge has ruled that interviews a former Wasilla teacher gave to police can be used as evidence in his trial, which has been delayed until December.
Lukis Nighswonger, 38, is charged with several counts of sexually abusing minors after allegations that he inappropriately touched some of his students at Iditarod Elementary. He has been in jail since September 2018.
Three recordings with police officers were the subject of an evidentiary hearing at the end of July. During his conversations with authorities, Nighswonger admitted to being a pedophile.
Nighswonger’s attorney, Neal Ainsworth, filed a motion to suppress the evidence that requested the judge to throw out the interviews before trial.
Ainsworth said his client was sleep deprived from sleeping in his car days before the interviews and was not in the right state of mind to waive his Miranda rights. In his ruling denying the motion, Judge Jonathan Woodman said Nighswonger did the interviews voluntarily and was free to leave at any time because he was not under arrest.
“Thus, this court concludes that Mr. Nighswonger was not in custody for the Sept. 24, 2018 interview, and as a result, Miranda warnings were not required,” Woodman wrote.
Woodman said several factors led to his decision including how the interviews were conducted and whether Nighswonger was allowed to leave afterward. Woodman also found Nighswonger “knowingly and intelligently waived his Miranda rights.”
He noted Nighswonger may have been sleep deprived, but “nothing in the record indicates that it was to a level that would preclude an intelligent waiver of Miranda rights, especially considering Mr. Nighswonger’s level of education.”
EVIDENTIARY HEARING
The three recordings were played in their entirety during an evidentiary hearing.
In the first interview, Nighswonger is at the Mat-Su School District office in Palmer where he met with now-retired Palmer police officer Kristi Muilenburg. There are video and audio from Muilenburg’s body camera.
Nighswonger said he touched a female student down her pants in his classroom with other kids present many years prior. He told the officer he knew he was under investigation by the school district.
Muilenburg did an initial interview then drove Nighswonger to the Wasilla Police Department.
“He didn’t display any kind of mental health behaviors that I was concerned with. He seemed to articulate himself well,” Muilenburg said.
The second interview is an audio recording made with Wasilla police investigator Daniel Bennett. Nighswonger said he was “in a bad state of mind” but was not self-destructive. Bennett interrupted to read Nighswonger his Miranda rights. About 10 minutes into the conversation, Nighswonger said, “I’m a pedophile.” Nighswonger said he had been placed on administrative leave several days before and had been living in his car for the past three nights.
He wanted to be locked up in jail after the interview.
“I don’t care what amount of time it is, but it’s something that needs to be real. It needs to be a decent length of jail term, it needs to be a stamp that goes on my file forever. It needs to be — if I have poor impulse control, this will curb my impulses by getting me registered,” Nighswonger said. “I would prefer to be locked up tonight. I don’t feel like I’m in a very good state of mind.”
Bennett testified Nighswonger was not arrested that day.
“He made it clear right off the bat that he wanted to go to jail and I advised him that I understood that. I even said, ‘You don’t know really what you’re asking for. It’s not going to be as dreamy as you think,’” Bennett said.
The third interview took place on Sept. 26, 2018, and was recorded at the Wasilla Police Department.
Bennett again read Nighswonger his Miranda rights then the two had a lengthy discussion to see if Nighswonger wanted an attorney. He did not.
“I don’t think I’ve had a single person that hasn’t said it’s time to get a lawyer. I’m going to be honest with you, I’m not going to deny a single thing I did,” Nighswonger said.
Ainsworth said his client was exhausted from sleeping in his car for days and it had impacted his judgment. It’s one of the reasons why he filed a motion asking the judge to suppress the statements Nighswonger made to police.
“That coupled with 12 times throughout the interview, Nighswonger’s talking about — it’s almost like he’s having out-of-body experience — how he’s hearing voices, he’s on the precipice. He does that 12 times throughout the whole interview,” Ainsworth said.
Deputy District Attorney Melissa Wininger-Howard argued that Bennett made it clear Nighswonger didn’t have to make any statements and was legally allowed to have a lawyer present if requested.
“I believe he made a point to say he’s very proud of his school teaching career. He was teacher of the year, I believe. So this is a person who is certainly aware of his rights and knew what he was doing and knew what the consequences were because he wanted to be held accountable at that time,” Wininger-Howard said.
TRIAL POSTPONED
The coronavirus pandemic has delayed jury trials across Alaska, including Nighswonger’s.
“The state, as well as the victims, want this case to go to trial as soon as we’re able,” Wininger-Howard told the judge.
Woodman tentatively scheduled Nighswonger’s trial for the beginning of December but said that may change depending on COVID-19 restrictions.
WINGS for Truth 