Attorney Comments On Sexual Assault Of Teen Girl By Pennsylvania Pastor

AbuseGuardian.com reports on the police search for a former Chester County, Pennsylvania pastor who is accused of sexually assaulting and impregnating a teenage girl. The teen had lived with the pastor, Jacob Malone, who is now wanted for rape, institutional sexual assault, and other charges.

Malone was one of five pastors at a non-denominational church in Downingtown, PA and had worked there for about 18 months. The teen moved from Minnesota in July of 2014 with Malone and his wife and they treated her as an adopted daughter. In the fall of 2014, Malone allegedly began to sexually assault the teen. Claims state that on one particular occasion, the teen became highly intoxicated after she was provided alcohol by Malone, and he reportedly molested her. Church leaders discovered in November that the teen was pregnant, and learned of the alleged relationship between her and Malone, as well as another female whose age has not yet been disclosed.

Malone was confronted by the other church leaders and admitted to them that he had impregnated the teen. He resigned in mid-November and in early December she moved out of his house to reside with family members. The remaining church leaders informed the congregation of the allegations against Malone and hope that in difficult moments like these, they are able to help the innocent and encourage the offender to repent. The church had completed a background check, which Malone had passed prior to being hired.

Sexual abuse can shatter lives, and abusers often prey on those most vulnerable, such as minors. The imbalance of power is important to abusers and they are often attracted to positions of authority. This can make reporting an assault very difficult for a victim. In fact, 68% of all sexual assaults go unreported to police; and 44% of victims are under the age of 18, according to RAINN. Feelings of guilt or shame often plague victims, and minors may struggle with these feelings even more.

Attorney Brian Kent knows the devastation that being the victim of a sexual assault can cause someone. Along with the rest of his firm, he has experience in acting as an advocate for survivors and helping to recover compensation so that they may begin to heal after such traumatic experiences. The firm is devoted to treating each client with individual attention and compassion. Kent states: “We are currently representing several clients in claims of sexual assault.”

For more information on sexual assault claims, or to ask questions, please call Attorney Brian Kent at 866-577-2786.