For this reason, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation has named Kanakuk Kamps to the 2022 Dirty Dozen List. In my experience, a person learning of it [for the first time] wouldve had a different reaction, he said. In They Arent Who You Think They Are, David and I detailed Kanakuk leaderships awareness of a series of incidents in which Newman was nude with children. It is an essential part of the healing journey for many, and we support this right and will not stand in the way of any who wishes to do so. The Missouri Independent is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to relentless investigative journalism and daily reporting that sheds light on state government and its impact on the lives of Missourians. Today, his former motives are clear to us all. But for some kids with single mothers, it was a positive male presence in their week. Kanakuk paid $144,296 to K-Land One. We were wrong in our understanding of the language of many of these agreements, and we failed to recognize the restrictions both real and perceived that many victims are under. Additionally, Kanakuk set out to elevate our safety practices, which resulted in the Kanakuk Child Protection Plan (the CPP) The CPP, which contains over 340 identifiable and measurable protective elements, is integrated throughout the Kanakuk organization and has been shared with more than 600 youth-serving organizations across the country. #ProtectChildren Click To Tweet, @Kanakuk, release survivors from their NDAs so that they may speak about the childhood sexual abuse they endured at your camp. But by the time new evidence was uncovered through national media investigations, Hoffpauir was too old to file a civil suit against the camp and its leadership. Known as a charismatic director and ambassador for the camp prior to his 2009 arrest, Newman was charged with crimes involving six underage victims and admitted during sentencing to having inappropriate activity with as many as 13 more campers, according to past News-Leader reporting. The devils trying to get us. In his effort to minimize the problem, White claimed it was one incident with one person. You might want to confirm that.. We are not aware of any other reports of abuse at Kanakuk. OnApril 23, a Kanakuk attorney offered to meet with Taney County officials. The actions of Pete Newman are devastating to hear and stand counter to Kanakuks values and mission. @Kanakuk, its time to issue annual transparency and response reports and prioritize preventing such abuse in the future. Richard AuBuchon, representing American Property Casualty Insurance Association, a national trade association for insurers, and Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition, which represents business interests in Missouris litigation environment, said the bill is unconstitutional, pointing to the revival of claims portion, and said 55 years old is simply too long.. Were talking about organizations that cover up and they work together they work cohesively to make sure the truth doesnt come outTo suggest that we cant go up to those organizations and cap a statute, I think is inappropriate, Smith said. Survivors, ex-employees say unreported abuse at Kanakuk camps in Branson spans decades. Following the events of 2009, we created the Kanakuk Child Protection Plan (CPP). ), Pete organized a full body massage for all the boys and he pulls me aside before we all head into the massive room and tells me, all these ladies will do a groin massage on everyone and watching the reactions of all the young guys is hilarious, the witness said. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. Seven states open the window for two or more years, as this law proposes Missouri do, and two states currently open the window permanently for adult survivors of child sex abuse, according to Child USA. We support this right and will not stand in the way of any who wishes to do so. "Were all curious to see how Kanakuk plans on responding to the allegations that will be brought forward in this lawsuit.". @Kanakuk, acknowledge your complacency in the sexual abuse that went on in your camp. By: Clara Bates - February 14, 2023 1:35 pm In 2009, Newmans Kanakuk story came to an end, we wrote. With annual revenue topping $30 million, Kanakuk Kamps is one of the largest evangelical ministries in the nation and claims to have hosted 500,000 campers from all 50 states and 10 countries since its founding in 1926. As a world leader among Christian summer camps, Kanakuk provides children with fun, safe and professional outdoor youth camping experiences that grow them spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially. Kanakuk camp 'abuse survivors' call for independent investigation into sexual assault accusations, that were reportedly flagged for Kanakuk leaders in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006, recently issued an open . Yandell was sexually abused as a teenager while attending the summer camp and other activities between 2005 and 2008. This list places Kanakuk alongside such behemoths as Reddit, Google, Netflix, and Twitter (ironically, a platform the NCOSE uses) as a mainstream entity for facilitating, enabling, and profiting from abuse and exploitation this is simply not true and defies any semblance of common sense. I dont think that person called the cops. Cooper plainly states it: They sent Newman away. Kamp Type Children Kampers Select Equipping Next Generation Leaders Since 1926 Explore our summer Kamps #iLikeKanakuk Kanakuk gives my kids experiences they can't get anywhere else. Attorney Ben Bull, who leads theNational Center on Sexual Exploitations Law Center (which fights child sexual abuse, illegal pornography, sex trafficking, and other forms of sexual abuse and exploitation) agrees the FBI should investigate. Kanakuk also fully supported the law enforcement investigation and prosecution of the abuser Pete Newman. Joe White continues to seek out any opportunity to meet with victims and their families who will allow him the privilege to share his sincere sorrow and seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Youll be my accountability partner. Both USA Today and the News-Leader are owned by the media company Gannett. A 50-page . Ye reap what ye sow. More to the point is the echoing in church organisations of worldly power structures. He pulled his camera out when that moment happened and was video taping. Kanakuk leadership maintains that they had no advanced knowledge of his behavior, and Newman was a master of deception., [Leadership] stated they fired Newman as soon as they were aware of his abusive behaviors, and that he acted alone, Hoffpauir said. I took Pete to New York with [Newmans wife]. This camp helped grown their relationship with the Lord & supported their faith walk. A documentary made by VICE News about the alleged sexual abuse cases at Kanakuk camps in southwest Missouri won a 2022 Emmy, Allegations that popular Christian singer-songwriter Chris Rice sexually assaulted an older teen are credible, according to a report by leading victim advocacy, Young Lifeone of the nations largest youth ministries, involving more than 400,000 youth and 55,000 staff and volunteersis being accused of ignoring. #ProtectChildren, @Kanakuk, release survivors from their NDAs so that they may speak about the childhood sexual abuse they endured at your camp. It has since put on child protection training seminars. More than 600 organizations have been trained in the CPP to date. The camp did not initially disclose the cause for Newmans termination. While there are still calls for Kanakuk to release victims from NDAs so that they can share their story, and accusations that we are silencing victims, Kanakuk has made it clear that we absolutely support the right of victims to share their story in pursuit of their healing. He was a camp director at Kanakuk Kamps, one of the largest Christian camps in the world. New Evidence Emerges: Kanakuk Kamp Blocked an Effort to Fire an Employee Later Revealed To Be a Serial Child Abuser Pete Newman's supervisor recommended he be fired in 2003, according to sources. Tragically, in a deeply troubling array of instances, the safety of children took a back seat to other considerations as years of child sexual abuse at Kanakuk Kamps have been covered up by the organization. Watch Video Victims Speak Out About Sexual Abuse at Kanakuk CBS Dallas/Ft Worth USA Today and their affiliate newspaper based in Kanakuks home region published a series of investigative reports. Kanakuk Kamps, headquartered in Branson, Mo., begins camp terms next week and plans to host 20,000 children this summer. Neugebauer told me he did not believe that strategy would deal with Newmans predation effectively. Our problem wasnt a lack of information, it was an abundance. Nobody has resigned as a result of the failure to stop a decade of abuse. The boy claimed that during that retreat, Newman attempted to shower and sleep naked in the hotel bed with him, but the boy successfully resisted. The fact is that Pete was surrounded and supervised by honorable people who would have never placed profit over the safety of children especially their own children. We are only a small fraction of the Kanakuk survivors, yet our collective abuse experiences span from the 1950s to 2022. A different victims parentin a police statement dated July 2, 2009said Newmans supervisor Kris Cooper. How many victims have to die before the camp is held accountable? 2023 www.news-leader.com. It too enjoys a "50 year lease with a 50-year option." According to John Jensen, the Chief Business Officer for Kanakuk Ministries, "All the land tied to this lease [with Kukorp] will revert to Kanakuk upon the death of Joe and Debbie-Jo White." A camper immediately reported the suspicious actions of the staff member in accordance with our Child Protection Plan camper training. Claiming things like Kanakuk continues to fail on basic safety practices and protocols and stating that Kanakuk ..ignores other known perpetrators and their enablers, including those in leadership at Kanakuk to this day. They distort the truth, promote false narratives, and harass individuals who oppose them. Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? Our desire is to support victims and help them in their healing journey. It was the worst 24 hours of my life. The devil will try to kill & destroy. 11 Springfield News-Leader. Responsibility, accountability, and transparency must be required of institutions like Kanakuk Kamps if we wish to stamp out child sexual abuse. I remember hearing about Pete doing something inappropriate toward [name redacted], she told me in a phone interview. It's not unusual for rich families from Dallas to send their kids to Kanakuk for most of the summer. We also realize that we have added confusion and frustration when we have spoken on this topic. Despite the survivors who have come forward, at least a dozen lawsuits, and the news investigations that have uncovered practices at the camp that enabled the reported abuse to fester. Our stance is simple every victim deserves the right to share in the pursuit of healing. More:It was just a thing at Kanakuk: Campers and staff say nudity was part of camp culture. I immediately reached out to Joe White, Neugebauer told me. A series of articles published by the Springfield News-Leader on May 26 tells the stories of previously silent sex abuse victims and others who say Missouri-based Kanakuk Kamps did not do enough to protect them when they were campers there. I believe in summer camps, he told me in a phone interview. One victims family told me that Pete Newman had solicited nude photos of their sons genitalia, which the young boy provided. These conversations left him with a distinctively negative impression. His sister, Elizabeth Phillips, said her brother considered the settlement blood money and felt so constrained by his NDA he worried he couldnt even talk about his abuse in therapeutic settings.. Any victim can reach out to Kanakuk by emailing us at victimsupport@kanakuk.com or access several independent victim advocacy organizations such as ChildHelp.org or Rainn.org who can provide access to local support services, reporting assistance, and educational resources. I also have a copy of the lawsuit that I understand is currently being filed- the defendants include Kanakuk abuse survivors urge Missouri lawmakers to extend statute of limitations The House judiciary committee on Monday heard public testimony on a bill that would give childhood sexual abuse survivors the ability to file a civil claim up to age 55. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Ashton, 11, dressed in a green hat and gray . KANSAS CITY, Mo. Read more and take action below! The family included a telling detail in the death notice, saying their son was a "Kanakuk Kamps abuse survivor" who "for years fought . On Monday night, when he and other survivors of childhood sexual abuse testified at a public hearing of the Missouri House Judiciary Committee, Hoffpauir said hes come to believe there was someone else responsible: Camp leadership, including Kanakuk CEO Joe White, who remains in charge.