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| Bakersfield Woman Talks about Alleged Sexual Abuse 20 Years Later
KGET
May 29, 2012
www.kget.com/news/local/story/Bakersfield-woman-talks-about-alleged-sexual/p4mqpa1yG06tFtVtvREalA.cspx
[with video]
A Bakersfield woman who claims she was molested by her youth minister more than 20 years ago has come forward, urging others who may have been molested to do the same.
Jessica Bohman, 29, is suing both her alleged assailant as well as the church she attended, Dayspring Christian Fellowship in central Bakersfield. She says the church didn't do anything after it was made aware of the alleged molestation.
The International Four Square organization, a Pentecostal Christian group affiliated with Dayspring Church, is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Bohman was only 4 years old when she claims family friend and youth minister Damon Young began sexually abusing her.
"I remember playing doctor, which to me was not the same as little kids playing doctor," said Bohman. "He would act like a doctor, and it was more sexual."
In the complaint filed in court Tuesday, more than two decades after the alleged abuse began, Bohman claims Young molested her until she was eight.
But, it wasn't until she was 14 that she told anyone what had happened.
"I didn't really know what happened until I was 14, sitting in my 7th grade sex education class," she said. "They were talking about it and I said, 'Oh, light bulb! That happened to me.'"
According to court records, Bohman told her father about the molestation 15 years ago. Bohman's father, Bob Prater, says he told church officials about the abuse, but nothing happened.
"I was an idiot," said Prater. "I should have gone straight to the police, but I didn't."
He also says he arranged a meeting with Young, who told him "there were more [victims]."
But, instead of contacting police, the family's attorney says his clients met with church officials about the molestation, and they encouraged the family to forgive Young rather than report him.
"The family was encouraged in soothing tones by the church, preaching Christian forgiveness, to keep silent, accept counseling, and go away," said attorney Anthony De Marco. "We have no record right now of any discipline or investigation of any kind having been done by the church."
At the church's request, Prater says he and the rest of his family kept quiet – until now. "This is truly the greatest regret of my life," said Prater. "I mean, there are no deeper regrets in my life than this."
17 News went to Dayspring Christian Fellowship seeking comment and information on where Damon Young is. But, no one was at the church. Our phone calls were not returned either.
We also contacted the most recent employer of Damon Young that we could find – Good Samaritan Hospital in southwest Bakersfield. But, a representative told us he no longer works there, and they could not share his contact information.
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