When we look at the stories priests and ministers who have engaged in pedophilia and other forms of predatory sexual behavior, I know I wonder if we, as a society, should be asking whether it is safe — or exactly how safe it is — for women, children, and teens to share public space priests and ministers. It’s not that as a group priests and ministers sytematically engage in predatory sexual behavior, but there sure seems to be a very small, but consequential minority of these folk who use their positions of trust and authority to prey on women, children, and teens.

The latest story of a minister using his position of trust and authority to prey on teens is from San Diego’s News 10 (emphasis added):

A Los Angeles man who served as a minister and music teacher at five churches in San Diego and Riverside counties pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of molesting two boys he mentored.

During his arraignment at the East County Regional Center in El Cajon, Jimmie Xray Robinson Jr., 47, denied multiple accusations of lewd and lascivious acts with minors.

…This month, DNA evidence obtained by police allegedly implicated Robinson in the El Cajon case, the lieutenant said. The suspect was booked on charges involving that alleged victim and one of the prior ones, a 15-year-old boy.

The San Diego Union-Tribune adds:

Robinson was linked to the incident by DNA evidence. He was arrested late Saturday morning at Living Word Faith Ministries on Market Street in downtown San Diego by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force, [El Cajon Police Department’s Lt. Tim] Henton said.

Robinson used his position in various churches to build mentoring relationships with troubled boys, Henton said.

Henton identified the churches as Prince Chapel on Cuvier Street in La Jolla; Grace Chapel in Temecula; Church of God on 5th Avenue in Chula Vista; Unity Fellowship Church on University Avenue in San Diego; and Christ Church San Diego on Fern Street in San Diego.

I know when I look at the number of reports of predatory sexual behavior by priests and ministers towards women, children, and teens, to me it sounds like that as a society, I feel we have more to fear from those who identify as priests and ministers than from those who identify as trans women or gender variant people who make use of public women’s restrooms.

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Related:

* Pam’s House Blend tag: sexual hypocrites