‘Raped by our pastor’ - Mother, daughter claim they were sexually assaulted by church leader

A 76-year-old woman and her 58-year-old child have vowed to expose a pastor who they alleged raped them 40 years ago.

The pastor, who leads a New Testament flock, was a guest in the women's house when the incident allegedly occurred. At the time, Pearl* was 33 and she lived alone with her 15-year-old daughter Kim*. The pastor, who was new to the community, had nowhere to stay and Pearl agreed to let him stay at their eastern Jamaica house until the church was able to find him suitable accommodation.

"I was in my sleep and felt somebody ramming into me," said Pearl, said that she thought she was being raped by boys who had previously broken into her house. "I didn't think it was my pastor, but when I jumped up I saw him looking at me."

She said the experience left her traumatised and confused.

"I ran away to the bathroom, washed my face and then I went into the living room and sat there, and he came there and sat on the couch. I said I cannot go back to church, I didn't take part, but I felt as if I had done something bad, so I just said I could not go back to church," Pearl said.

She also told THE WEEKEND STAR that she did not report the incident to the police because she did not think she would be believed. She went to the church and tried to get the reverend removed from her home, but she was told that his accommodation was not yet ready. So, reluctantly she allowed him to stay in her house, however, he allegedly sexually abused Kim.

Now a grown woman, Kim has also recounted her ordeal. She recalled the abuse beginning with a kiss, which she confessed that she did not tell her mother about.

"At first I didn't realise I was being abused," she said. "I didn't know I was a victim, I honestly thought I did something wrong, like I did something to bring this on myself, and I was so afraid to tell mom because I didn't want her to think I had done something bad."

Kim said the abuse gradually got worse and led to psychological trauma, causing her to suffer from anxiety and depression for decades. The impact of the alleged abuse on Pearl was similarly stark. She claimed to have been impregnated by the pastor, and to compound the situation, was read out of the church when it became clear to members that she was pregnant. It was so devastating that it led her to try to commit suicide while pregnant.

"I remember the morning I got up and I took about 60 pills, one by one because I just wanted it all to end," Pearl said, adding that she was asked to leave the church and was ridiculed by her community.

"I couldn't take it, I had to run away. It was just too much, everywhere I turned someone was laughing at me or treating me like I did something wrong even though he raped me! My youngest was seven at the time but I just couldn't stay," said Pearl who now calls the United States of America her home.

Shockingly, it was Pearl's second pregnancy, and on both occasions she had conceived a child by rape. Kim, she said, was the product of an unlawful and dastardly act committed against her when she was 15.

Pearl said that although she told her family members that her pregnancy was a result of rape, the allegations were denied by the man. Torn and devastated, she then set about rebuilding her life.

"I went back to school and became a teacher and then I got saved in the church ... and after I entered the church I moved up to become the youngest officer in the church," Pearl said, adding that is how she met the reverend.

However, it was not until three years ago that Pearl told Kim how her sister was conceived, and that was when Kim told her mother about the abuse.

"When I told her what happened I felt so crappy, I still can't believe this was happening to her, I started hating myself," Pearl said, as her voice began to crackle.

The women, determined that the pastor should be called to answer for his alleged deeds, wrote to the administrative bishop of the church to inform him of the allegations. The bishop, in a letter dated July 13, 2021, replied saying, "The matters ventilated in the letter are of a very serious nature and will be thoroughly investigated."

Kim was told that the church's national executive council has concluded that a hearing needs to be held to allow the pastor to answer the allegations. The pastor, the letter said, will be required to answer to the charge of 'unbecoming ministerial conduct', but Kim has been told she must return to Jamaica to attend the hearing.

Meanwhile, the bishop, contacted by this newspaper, refused to comment on the issue. Yet, the women have vowed to continue fighting.

"I want the world to know what he did to us, he doesn't deserve to stand on any pulpit and to be in front of any church and even though this happened to us years ago we are still suffering because of it," Kim said.

*Names changed to protect identities.