Posted on 01/26/2023 7:02:52 AM PST by Morgana
A California woman is suing the Salvation Army and its Pomona Corps, alleging she was sexually abused by a youth group leader when she was a minor.
The woman, identified in the lawsuit only as Jane Doe, is suing for negligence, claiming those in authority failed to prevent or protect her and other children from the abuse.
She is suing three separate tiers of the Salvation Army, including The Salvation Army Corporation, The Salvation Army Southern California Division, and individuals listed as “Does 1 through 100” of The Salvation Army Corps Community Center in Pomona.
The complaint, filed December 29, 2022, says Doe and her family were parishioners at the Salvation Army Corps Community Center – Pomona, which also served as a church. There, they met her alleged abuser, pastor Luis “Ben” Deras, in 2005.
In the report, Doe says Deras was both the pastor and youth leader at the Pomona Center when he befriended her family, gave her special attention, and bought her gifts, meals, and ice cream.
At the time, Doe was approximately 10 years old.
Doe says Deras began molesting her in 2006 and continued doing so over the next six years. After detailing the individualized alone time Deras spent with her, the suit claims “all of this was done in plain view of church leadership.”
Doe also says that during those years, “through an elaborate scheme and using the authority vested in him by Defendants,” Deras gained custody of her and her brother in 2008.
Shortly after that, she said, sexual assaults occurred daily.
“Doe alleges sexual abuse occurred more times than she can count, but certainly hundreds of times,” the complaint says. The report further alleges The Salvation Army Defendants knew Deras was abusing Doe but failed to protect her.
Doe also said the defendants never informed her and her parents about the “vast knowledge of sexual abuse by clergy and staff within the religious organization of The Salvation Army.”
As stated, Deras perpetrated unpermitted, harmful, and offensive sexual abuse upon Doe, and the Salvation Army Defendants “ratified and/or approved of that sexual abuse,” the complaint continues.
The lawsuit says Deras’ conduct, as described in the complaint, was undertaken, authorized, and/or ratified by The Salvation Army Defendants.
According to Doe, they ignored “obvious” signs that Deras was engaged in an inappropriate and abusive relationship with her. They continued to employ him and failed to supervise Doe, consciously disregarding her safety.
This is the second time in recent weeks that sexual abuse allegations include a Salvation Army leader. As MinistryWatch reported last week, a Salvation Army pastor in Chicago now faces three felony charges of sexual abuse of a minor.
In November, Ministry Watch also reported on Jeffery Williams, a youth pastor under the Intermountain Division of the Salvation Army investigated for inappropriate communication between himself and a minor attending his youth group.
Doe seeks unspecified damages, including court costs, according to proof at trial.
“A California woman is... suing for negligence, claiming those in authority failed to prevent or protect her and other children from the abuse.”
One might argue that raising children in California is itself negligence.
Details in article seen very vague. “teen”, “10 year difference”?
Victim says S.A. corp should have known. From article: “...he befriended her family, gave her special attention, and bought her gifts, meals, and icecream.” The family should have been first line of defense. Were they hugging an kissing in the store/office. Prosecute the guy, forget about the payday.
No sympathy whatever for the Salvation Army.
Like many others, my time in the service taught me that the SA was a far superior charitable organization than the Red Cross.
For decades after I was an open proponent and healthy contributor.
Then came 2018 and the SA decided to go political.
Today, I wouldn’t give it my fromunder cheese!
Ok, I miss read. Victim was 10yo. Not 10 year difference. Still, why would parents let young kids be alone with anyone that isn’t a trusted relative?
even relatives sometimes misbehave.
“Ok, I miss read. Victim was 10yo. Not 10 year difference. Still, why would parents let young kids be alone with anyone that isn’t a trusted relative?”
I once rang bells for the SA. This is long before they got in bed with the pro aborts.
With that said do you know parents would drop off their kids for their church activities and go off and do what ever? To the parents it was a “free babysitting service” for a few hours. Other people who rang bells there and had for decades told me this happened all the time.
You know I gotta think this happens at other churches too not just the SA. Like some protestant churches that have AWANA? How long does that last? 2 maybe 3 hours? I just bet there are parents that drop kids off and come back after they’ve hit the bar or what ever.
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