Nearly 200 Christian leaders in the US have been accused of abusing children this year, according to a new report.
Journalist Evan Hurst, who maintains a running list, revealed in an updated last week that “As of 31 October, I had tracked 188 separate cases… pastors, youth group leaders, priests, and Christian school teachers accused or convicted of abusing kids in some way”.
The updated figures include 50 new allegations since Hurst’s previous update in August, showing a rapid increase in reported cases.
Hurst said the trend exposes a stark contrast with anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in conservative circles. “Right-wing Christians often claim LGBTQ+ people are a danger to children, but accusations against drag queens and trans people are virtually non-existent”, he said.
Days after the list was updated, Californian Christian youth pastor Joshua David Kemper, 47, was arrested over allegations of exploiting a 15-year-old girl between March and July.
During the same period, Kemper shared online posts suggesting LGBTQ+ people were a threat to children.
Hurst warned that the ongoing misuse of the ‘groomer’ slur has allowed abuse in some conservative faith circles to be ignored. “These accusations underline the need for Christian communities to prioritise child protection and accountability”, he said.