CAM Molestation Issue

[joshuabgood]

I feel the CAM statement does address some of the questions. So thanks to them for that. That said, because there seems to be clear evidence that supervisors at CAM were informed of his crimes, going back at least to 2011-12, I wish they would have specified a commitment to an independent investigation of HR and Supervision systems. An internal investigation, given the gravity, and the foreknowledge of at least some people within organization, seems less than ideal to me and will invite further scrutiny.

[appleman2006]

There are two things about that release that disappoint me.
The first is that it took this long to release. The second that they did not at least acknowledge the fact that a tremendous amount of work needs to go into place so that something like this is less likely to ever happen again. I do not expect a detailed step by step process right now and there may be legal reasons why they cannot acknowledge any exact responsibility right now but still since it is very obvious that something fell apart in the process they should at least state what would seem to be a highly needed priority right now and that is that better procedures be put in place.

CAM is a large organisation. I fully expect that it is possible the board knew nothing or very little of this before a few weeks back. However if it becomes evident that some staff were suspicious of failures than I would suggest that there needs to be some resignations regardless how high up the officials are in the org.

[appleman2006]

I feel the CAM statement does address some of the questions. So thanks to them for that. That said, because there seems to be clear evidence that supervisors at CAM were informed of his crimes, going back at least to 2011-12, I wish they would have specified a commitment to an independent investigation of HR and Supervision systems. An internal investigation, given the gravity, and the foreknowledge of at least some people within organization, seems less than ideal to me and will invite further scrutiny.

I agree. Did not see this before what I wrote above but I think this needs some third party investigation and I expect they will announce that they are setting something like that up shortly. At least I hope so.

[RZehr]

Why do you think CAM's letter is late in coming? What date are you looking back to? Where are you measuring from?

[joshuabgood]

Why do you think CAM's letter is late in coming? What date are you looking back to? Where are you measuring from?

The reason it feels that way is that it looks like there wouldn't have been any letter at all had it not been for one person who was willing to really push the issue. **I am not saying there wouldn't have been a public statement, perhaps there would have been - I don't know, but the timing doesn't look good to the interested observer.

Not saying it is this way but it looks like the statement came as part of "damage control" to the reporting done by Trudy.

[appleman2006]

What Joshua said. It simply does not look good that they waited till after the incident was made public elsewhere. And not admitting that some in the organisation may have known about personal failures back 7 or 8 years ago also does not look good although for now I am giving them the benefit of the doubt in that as there may be legal issues involved.

I still say that for the good of the organisation there will need to be some forced resignations or better yet some people should simply voluntarily resign. I can appreciate how difficult it is to deal with these decisions however to delay could be fatal.

[Josh]

What Joshua said. It simply does not look good that they waited till after the incident was made public elsewhere. And not admitting that some in the organisation may have known about personal failures back 7 or 8 years ago also does not look good although for now I am giving them the benefit of the doubt in that as there may be legal issues involved.

I still say that for the good of the organisation there will need to be some forced resignations or better yet some people should simply voluntarily resign. I can appreciate how difficult it is to deal with these decisions however to delay could be fatal.

It’s a well known fact that the perpetrator got excommunicated a decade ago for committing similar crimes and sins in Ohio. (Well known enough that I knew about it 4 years ago.)

It is baffling how such a person then gets endorsed by both his church and by CAM to be a missionary to a foreign country where he lacks regular oversight and has plenty of access to victims.

It is even more baffling how this was brought to CAM’s attention in the past (long before the last couple weeks) and they did absolutely -NOTHING- until the Haitian authorities took legal action.

Trudy Metzger did not go public with any of this until the Haitian authorities did. I don’t see anyone can point the finger at her for any wrongdoing here.

[MaxPC]

What Joshua said. It simply does not look good that they waited till after the incident was made public elsewhere. And not admitting that some in the organisation may have known about personal failures back 7 or 8 years ago also does not look good although for now I am giving them the benefit of the doubt in that as there may be legal issues involved.

I still say that for the good of the organisation there will need to be some forced resignations or better yet some people should simply voluntarily resign. I can appreciate how difficult it is to deal with these decisions however to delay could be fatal.

It’s a well known fact that the perpetrator got excommunicated a decade ago for committing similar crimes and sins in Ohio. (Well known enough that I knew about it 4 years ago.)

It is baffling how such a person then gets endorsed by both his church and by CAM to be a missionary to a foreign country where he lacks regular oversight and has plenty of access to victims.

It is even more baffling how this was brought to CAM’s attention in the past (long before the last couple weeks) and they did absolutely -NOTHING- until the Haitian authorities took legal action.

Trudy Metzger did not go public with any of this until the Haitian authorities did. I don’t see anyone can point the finger at her for any wrongdoing here.

More and more this resembles our McCarrick scandal. Deja vu.

[QuietObserver]

It is baffling how such a person then gets endorsed by both his church and by CAM to be a missionary to a foreign country where he lacks regular oversight and has plenty of access to victims.

His father is a bishop. You want to believe the best about your children. I suppose it's none of my business, but I am curious what type of Anabaptist he is. I couldn't find his father in CLP's church directory.

[steve-in-kville]

My wife has a sister that served in Haiti many years ago. The rumors even flowed then.