A month after the former children’s ministry director at St. Andrew’s Church, Claire Buxon, accused the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, Stephen Wood, of sexual impropriety, a second woman has come forward, claiming she too was sexually harassed.
The new allegation against the married father of four, detailed in the Washington Post, comes from an ecclesiastical complaint submitted to the denomination by “Jane Doe 1,” and reads in part:
“I have a complaint against Archbishop Steve Wood of sexual misconduct, in the form of sexual harassment, to include pressuring me to be in situations I was uncomfortable with, even after I expressed my discomfort, pressuring me to be in a private space with him, one-on-one, to drink alcohol with him, despite me saying it was inappropriate and that I was uncomfortable. I do not wish to go into further detail now for fear of being identified.”
While declining interviews, Jane Doe 1 said she will cooperate with a church investigation and provide more information so long as she can remain anonymous.
As a result of the allegations, Wood, who has strongly denied the claims, has “decided to take a voluntary leave of absence pending the resolution of proceedings to address recent allegations brought against him” according to a press release from the ACNA. It also adds that “Bishop Ray Sutton, who serves as Dean of the Province, will assume all canonical responsibilities and duties as Archbishop during this time. “
