Friday, May 04, 2012

They volunteer to molest our children

Ronald Asplund was a volunteer youth coordinator at Oak Harbor Lutheran Church. He’s been arrested for the alleged rape of two boys. It’s not his first dance either, there were similar allegations six years ago.

The police started investigating the case last week after a woman reported that Asplund had violated a court order barring him from contacting her 13-year-old son. An officer found that Asplund had given the boy a cell phone; the officer found that it contained sex-related text messages from Asplund.

Investigators soon discovered that Asplund had been molesting both the 13-year-old boy and his 14-year-old friend, according to the report by Detective James Hoagland. Asplund later admitted to the allegations in an interview with the detective, the report states.

What I found most disturbing about this case was the allegation that one of the rapes occurred during a church lock-in event. That’s were youth pastors lock kids in the church gym all night for some kind of religious ritual, or what I call, pastors special play time. Oak Harbor says it has a strict policy about adults being alone with children, and then it creates an environment where abuse can happen. That seems a little short sighted and disingenuous.

Rule 14… never let kid sleep overnight in the church gym with the youth pastor.

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Anne's avatar

Anne · 677 weeks ago

Lock-ins are a popular activity with church youth groups, and with some other teen groups. The idea sounds good on the surface, and in many cases is probably a perfectly fine activity. But when there is a sex predator in the mix, it just become yet another opportunity for them to take advantage of. I'm not a church-goer, but I've been to a few for weddings and such and they are often a maze of rooms and basements etc.

Creepy.

Youth groups are prime foraging ground for the pedos...
1 reply · active 677 weeks ago
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Jack 119p · 677 weeks ago

I haven't thought about this in years, but you are right about there being something creepy about church basements. I never felt safe there as a child, and they still give me the creeps.
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Chris. · 676 weeks ago

Uhm, I'm sorry, but the pastors didn't lock anyone in the church, and it doesn't even have a gym. this guy was a volunteer. he wasn't a pastor. also, the only "religious rituals" done at this churches lock ins would be uhm, praying? which no one is forced to do. yea, actually the church has a very strict policy. Don't you dare blame the church for something one person has done.
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Mojoey 107p · 676 weeks ago

Of course I blame the church. The let a man spend the night locked away with kids. What did they think would happen? Another soul one for Jesus? And who cares if it was a gym, basement or office building? They still locked kids up with an alleged pedophile that may have used the opportunity provided by the church to molest a child.
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Anne · 676 weeks ago

Parents send their kids to church "lock-ins" with the belief it will be a safe event. There were no doubt other adults there, and probably even the official youth pastor. The concept of a "lock-in" is very common for teens - think chaparoned slumber party. Usually, once the teens are there they aren't allowed to leave (emergencies aside). Lots of fun and games ensue, and in a church setting there is no doubt plenty of "religious ritual" going on - prayer, sermons, etc. Perhaps nobody would be forced to do it, but can you imagine the pressure if you were the guest of one of the church kids?

So what if this particular church doesn't have a gym? What it does have is multiple wings and who knows how many rooms where an adult could easily corner a kid. The point is, in an even that lasts this long overnight when at some point most of the people might be sleeping, the potential for ease of abuse is high.

What's worse about this particular case, however, is that he used his position as a trusted volunteer to select and then groom particular boys - he invited them to his home, and insinuated himself as a father figure. Another article that came out said he molested them behind the local K-mart and in the bushes nearby! WTF! That totally creeps me out since I know the area so well.

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