Ali Rockett
Staff writer
RAEFORD — A Shannon man who was charged Monday with molesting two children from the Hoke County church where he worked had been accused of sexual assault before.
Vinson Henderson, 43, of 16 Les Norman Road in Shannon, was arrested on Nov. 8, 2009, and charged with assault on a female and sexual battery of a 12-year-old family member, according to records at the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office. The victim was related to Henderson through marriage, according to Lt. Kathy Torre.
Henderson was found not guilty of the two misdemeanor charges on Nov. 23, 2009, in District Court .
He was arrested on Monday by Hoke County sheriff’s detectives and charged with two felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a child and two counts of sexual battery.
According to a statement from the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, a female told deputies on Nov. 30 that Henderson had been molesting her for approximately two years. The investigation led detectives to a second alleged victim, who, according to sheriff’s Capt. John Kivett, did not have a prolonged relationship with Henderson, but was molested at least one time.
Because of their ages, the names of the victims could not be released, but Kivett said the girls were both under the age of 16.
Henderson is a superintendent at Mount Elim Baptist Church in Red Springs, Kivett said. Henderson’s duties included coordinating activities for youths.
The Fayetteville Observer reported Thursday that Henderson was released from jail Tuesday after the church posted his $100,000 bond. Michael Dial, the church’s treasurer, called The Robesonian and said the church did not pay his bond.
“The church did not have anything to do with posting the bond,” Dial told The Robesonian Thursday. “What individual church members did, I can’t say.”
Calls to the church were not returned.
A 20-year member of the church called The Robesonian and said that at least six members went to the Hoke County Magistrate’s Office to bail Henderson out of jail.
“These are long-standing members of the church,” said the man, who spoke on the condition his name not be used. “They hold positions in the church. They were there representing the church and they made that known.”
The man said that the church was aware of Henderson’s previous charges. Henderson, along with being a superintendent, also does construction work for the church, including work on the church’s new multi-million-dollar sanctuary.
“They had no business getting involved with this creep,” he said. “Now they are doing damage control.”
The longtime member said that the church’s membership with the Southern Baptist Conference, which brings a lot of national recognition, is now in jeopardy.
“Right now the church is spilt right down the middle,” he said. “I’m absolutely disgusted. I will go to church Sunday and if they’ve got him there bouncing around like the King of England, it will get ugly. I will not handle it.”
— Reach staff writer Ali Rockett at 910-272-6127 or arockett@heartlandpublications.com.
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Donnie Douglas
Editor
The Robesonian
Youth ministries are at high risk for sexual misconduct allegations. Youth workers are often closer in
age to the teens they work with, they're often unmarried and they spend a lot of time with youth —
sometimes off-premises or at overnight activities. You need to establish rigid guidelines for youth
ministers and youth activities.
1 ) Plan youth activities in advance of an event.
a) Establish a youth ministry team or youth committee.
b) No spontaneous “Let’s all go to…”
2 ) Ensure that adequate adult supervision is present.
a) Two-person rule: Reasonable effort will be made to have two adult workers present, or nearby
with preschoolers, children and students during church activities. Reasonable effort will be
made to assure that one adult is not left alone with one minor. A husband and wife working
the same room will typically be considered as one adult for purposes of this policy.
b) Six-month rule: Only adults who have been members of their current church for six months
or more may serve as supervisors/chaperones.
c) Adults-only rule: Only allow adults age 21 and older as supervisors/chaperones of minors.
d) If possible, other than the youth minister, enlist only people age 25 or older as chaperones of
minors.
3 ) No dating of minors by youth ministers or other paid or volunteer youth workers.
Establish a Sexual Harassment Policy*
Sexual harassment is a serious form of misconduct that has a devastating effect on employee
relations and the life and ministry of the church. No employee - either male or female - shall be
subject to unsolicited and unwelcome sexual overtures or conduct, either verbal or physical. Sexual
harassment refers to behavior that is not welcome, that is personally offensive, that debilitates
morale and that, therefore, interferes with work effectiveness. Such behavior may result in
disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Definition: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical
conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when
1 ) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of
an individual's employment,
2 ) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for
employment decisions affecting such individual, or
There are three areas of responsibility:
the victim(s), the congregation, and the reported perpetrator.
The victim(s)
1 ) Plan for immediate attention to the victim(s).
2 ) Assign church members close to the victim(s) to provide immediate and long-term ministry.
3 ) Provide professional counseling support.
a) The church should pay the cost.
b) The counselor should be one acceptable to the victim.
Note: If the victim is a minor the counselor is responsible to report the incident to DHR.
The congregation
1 ) The pastor should not try to handle the situation alone. He should immediately involve a key
leader such as the deacon chairman. This lay leader should become a part of devising a
strategy of response. If the pastor is the one accused, this lay leader should lead the process.
2 ) Contact outside resources for advice and counsel.
a) Director of Missions.
b) State Board of Missions: Office of LeaderCare & Church Administration.
c) Legal counsel. An excellent resource is the Center for the Study of Law and Church at
Cumberland Law School, Samford University, 1-8 0 0- 888-7 3 0 3 .
3 ) Contact the church’s insurance company.
4 ) A group of mature lay leaders such as the deacons should be fully informed and given
permission to help dispel rumors.
5 ) Inform the congregation, if deemed necessary.
a) Tell the truth, not necessarily details and names.
b) The congregation should never be misled or misinformed.
The reported perpetrator
1 ) Inform the accused person of the allegations.
2 ) Inform the accused of the process to be followed.
a) During the time of investigation, the accused should temporarily step down from the
position.
b) If the person is a church employee, there should be full compensation during the time
of initial investigation.
c) If there is a confession of wrongdoing or credible evidence, the perpetrator should be
given the option of publicly confessing and resigning (such as in a letter).
d) If the person refuses to resign, he/she should be told of the process of dismissal.
3 ) Severance pay should be considered for the sake of the family. They are secondary victims
Set rules for counselors and for ministers who counsel
1 ) Put your counseling procedures in writing.
2 ) Offer only short-term pastoral counseling. Develop a referral network of other professionals who
provide help beyond the scope of pastoral counseling.
3 ) Limit the length and number of sessions in which opposite-sex counseling is permitted. After the
limit is reached, require the counselor to refer the person to another counselor.
4 ) Screen everyone who will be providing counseling. Review their qualifications. *Samples available at www.alsbom.org/safe or 800-2 6 4-1 2 2 5, ext. 263.
Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions
5 ) Consider conducting opposite-sex counseling by telephone. If this is not an option, consider
having the counselor’s spouse present.
6 ) Conduct counseling sessions only on church premises when others are present in the building.
7 ) All notes and records taken during the counseling session should be secured and kept strictly
confidential.
8 ) Refrain from any speech or action that could in any way be construed as sexual or romantic.
9 ) Keep the door to the counseling office open or install a window in the door of the counseling
office.
Set rules for youth and children’s ministers
Youth ministries are at high risk for sexual misconduct allegations. Youth workers are often closer i
Now, tell me about the cd's. Where are they? Oh, that's right, that singing paid for that down payment on that Durango. That's what we thought and who doesn't ever have money and owes everyone in the church.......VI and YOUR DAD. You should be looking up to me..I stand for what is RIGHT. Did your dad pay that money back to the church?
Now people look what happens when the monster is not put down the first time.... He moves on to more prey....He is not the only one guilty here... This guilt has spread from one county to another.... Lord have mercy on Robeson County.......
Second, I do not believe we should punished anyone until they are found guilty of a crime.
If this person was found not guilty why would this even be an issue? Or are we to believe that just because a person is charged with a crime that no matter what the verdict the person must be guilty? When I read these stories my first thought goes back to the "Little Rascals Day Care" case some years back. After destroying several people and keeping them in prison for quite a number of years it tourned out they were not guilty of any crimes but their lives were destroyed. I really think our response should be tempered when it comes to these stories but once the person is convicted then let both barrels loose and let them spend a long time in prison.
As to the church - doesn't it have to accept this person into their fold? My thought here is what would Jesus do? As to this persons friends - should they disavow their friend? If so, were they really this persons friend to start with?
Please do not think that I am defending this person as I am not. Until I read the articles I had never heard of or seen this person. I am just trying to say that a person, every person, should be tried in court before judgment is rendered.