A Pennsylvania woman has filed suit against the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Fort Kent alleging that she was sexually assaulted by two elders and a congregant between 1985 and 1993 when she was a member of the congregation.
In her lawsuit, 45-year-old Shannon Simendinger said she was just six years old when Jehovah Witness Elders David Ezzy and Ernest Fyans began sexually assaulting her. The complaint also alleges that Congregant Daniel Plourde began abusing her in 1990.
She said her mother found out about the abuse and contacted police. But Simendinger claims the allegations were dismissed and the church responded by threatening her and her family.
For a long time, she felt scared and vulnerable, but after decades of counseling Simendinger said she's no longer intimidated, and she wants church leaders held accountable.
"I'm starting to rise above it. I want to have a voice to help others. I can help them realize that it's not their fault what's going on," Simendinger said. "The biggest thing is to help other people and to help myself grow and be healthy as well."
The lawsuit includes seven counts against the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Fort Kent and its supervisor, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York. The counts range from sexual assault, abuse and battery to breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and the infliction of emotional distress.
Simendinger is suing for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
Her attorney, Mike Bigos, said Berman & Simmons filed the civil suit January 8 at Aroostook County Superior Court in Caribou. He said they want a jury trial.
"We believe the evidence will show that the Jehovah's Witnesses enabled the abuse that Shannon suffered, and once she asked for help, she experienced institutional betrayal. We believe the suit will help find the truth and through a jury verdict, we hope to hold them accountable for the harm they caused," Bigos said.
Simendinger said she struggles daily with depression, anxiety and PTSD, but added there are happy moments at home with her husband and son.
"I want to heal, and this process that I'm doing is a part of healing. And in order to heal, I'm talking about what happened to me," Simendinger said.
Ernest Fyans, one of the defendants, was previously found guilty of sexually assaulting two children in the early 1990s.
The attorney representing the Jehovah's Witnesses, Brad Patershall of Portland, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
If you or someone you know needs resources or support related to sexual violence, contact the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s hotline at 800-871-7741.