An alleged sex abuse victim has launched a lawsuit against several well-known SBC leaders and entities, claiming that they either helped cover up her abuse at the hands of her father, or failed to do their due diligence as it pertained to their reporting.
Hannah-Kate Williams was the woman at the center of the Mike Stone SBC 2021 Convention controversy. She famously confronted the presidential nominee on the convention floor where they had a brief discussion that ended with Williams in tears, citing him as saying she was bad for the convention. This quickly made the rounds, Stone issued a statement of denial, but it’s a reasonable bet that this had a very adverse effect on Stones’ numbers and, causing him to lose against serial plagiarizer and sermon stealer Ed Litton.
Now, as reported by Religion News Service, she has filed suit against a plethora of entities and personalities, including Lifeway, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Mike Stone, Rod Martin, the SBC Executive Committee, and others, alleging that they “conspired to protect the Baptist denomination from a problem of sexual abuse of minors or other vulnerable populations” by not investigating her reports, along with painting her as a liar who has no credibility.
Hannah contends that her father sexually, physically, and psychologically abused her from the ages of 5-16. She says she reported that abuse at the age of 8 to SBC church staff, but they did nothing other than tell her “I’m praying for you.”
According to Religion News Service:
Williams, the oldest of six siblings, said she first contacted SBC local pastors and national leaders after she realized her father was also assaulting three of her younger siblings. Her mother severely beat her and her siblings and also sexually abused her two younger brothers, according to public statements by the four oldest siblings (the two youngest siblings are still in her parents’ custody).
The elder four siblings have filed police reports against their parents in several jurisdictions, alleging sexual and physical abuse. But in December, a detective in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, declined to send the case to a prosecutor, citing “factual issues and inconsistencies” among the siblings’ stories, according to the report.
Reports in more than 10 other jurisdictions in Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee remain under investigation.
One person has already publicly responded to previous claims and called her a liar who is making things up.
During the convention, she wrote on Twitter that the man who helped cover up her abortion was outside the convention protesting abotion, and yet refused to tell anyone who he was or reveal his identity.
We are aware that the man’s name is James Farrar. He is a pastor at Alethia Church and released a video at the time explaining that he has been falsely accused and that she is a liar, painting a picture that is diametrically opposite hers.
Prior to the convention, Williams announced that she was abandoning Christianity and the church, explaining that she needed to leave these things behind so that she could “heal,” be “free,” and “live in that freedom.” In the months since then, however, she has “recommitted” her life to the Lord and has made public declarations of belief. including being re-baptized.
As far as what she wants out of all this lawsuit: she says “I’m hoping all abusers will be exposed and brought to justice so they can find redemption, that survivors can receive restitution, and the vulnerable can be protected.”
