Philadelphia, PA - Lead Pastor at the Holy Ghost Headquarters, Rev. Mark Hatcher, Charged With Rape and Sexually Assaulting Three Victims

Pastor Accused of Sexually Assaulting Three Victims

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, a North Philly pastor is facing sexual assault charges during his tenure at Holy Ghost Headquarters located within The Met at 858 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19130. 

Three victims have come forward, accusing 59-year-old Mark Hatcher of sexually assaulting them while they were children. The first victim claimed he exposed himself to her and then fondled her breast. The incident took place in his home in 2000. The second victim, a boy, described similar abuse that also took place in a room in his house and began in 2007.

The third victim was just 13 when Hatcher was in a relationship with her mother. On multiple occasions, the pastor kissed and groped the child. On one occasion, Hatcher is said to have pinned the child down and raped her. She reported her incident in 2008, but no charges were ever made. 

Filing Lawsuits For Clergy Abuse

Attorney contributor Brian Kent, an experienced sexual abuse lawyer, represents victims of clergy sex abuse and their families in civil lawsuits within the state of Pennsylvania. Brian recently shared his insight on victims' rights if sexually abused by a pastor.

"Religious organizations, including Pentecostal churches, have a legal and moral obligation to ensure the safety of their congregation. Lately, we have seen an uptick in reports of pastors and other clergy members sexually assaulting church members and others that put their trust in them. It is important that these religious groups do everything in their power to prevent predators from taking these positions of power and trust."

"Churches and religious groups may be held liable in a civil case if they failed to protect those around them from preventable abuse. If a pastor had past sexual misconduct charges filed against them, but the organization neglected to do a thorough investigation allowing them to continue working, that is an example of negligence. To safeguard the safety of all members, organizations should employ security measures at their facilities. These often include conducting frequent background checks and taking their duty as a mandatory reporter seriously. Victims of clergy abuse and their families should know they may have grounds for a lawsuit and may even be entitled to receive compensation for damages."

Sources:

The Philadelphia Inquirer