Complainants of inappropriate touching at LGBTQ+ church in Birmingham call for new investigation

A former member of an LGBTQ+ inclusive church who alleges they experienced inappropriate touching during services has said the way in which safeguarding complaints were handled, and the environment it created, “de-churched” him.

Services at Inclusive Gathering Birmingham (IGB), part of the Birmingham Methodist district, were suspended last April after a number of former members of the congregation alleged inappropriate touching and harassment by an individual in a leadership role.  

The former members feel the process in which safeguarding complaints were handled by the church were not robust and left them feeling gaslit.  

IGB was launched in 2017 and described itself as “a diverse, justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+-affirming church”, located in Birmingham’s gay village. 

On its website, the church said it believes “true spiritual community can be formed based on who is included, not by who is excluded”, with that inclusion referring to “people of every race and ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, age and background, HIV status, ability and disability, theological and political conviction”. 

One of the complainants, who asked PinkNews to keep their identity anonymous, said that from the first day they attended IGB the individual at the centre of the allegations was “very handsy”, adding: “He would hug you, trace his hand down your side and grab your arse.”

The complainant went on to say that another member of the church mentioned that they too had experienced inappropriate touching and this “set off an alarm bell in my head”. At this point, the pair spoke to a third church member who also said they had been touched, which the complainant said spoke to a “culture issue”. 

They raised concerns with the pastor but the accused individual was not immediately removed from their responsibilities.

In a further incident, another complainant said: “He does it to everyone so I just [accepted] it.”

The first complainant told PinkNews that they felt the claims raised against the individual were not correctly documented or reported to the Birmingham district safeguarding team, complainants were treated as “troublemakers” and one senior staffer expressed concern about the story “going public” rather than addressing the complaints. 

One leader is alleged to have said the “Holy Spirit had worked through the investigation”, effectively meaning “God has endorsed the investigation”, which, the complainant said, was “spiritual abuse I’d never seen before”. 

The impact of the situation had been wide-ranging and left them feeling “de-churched”. 

Complainants also claimed they were excluded from church activities and were made to remove church contacts from their devices. 

“We were blocked on everything, taken out of groups. They effectively cut us off and silenced us,” one person claimed, according to The Guardian. 

However, a church spokesman told The Guardian: “No one was removed from information channels or volunteer positions prior to 28 April when church worship gatherings were paused.

“The alleged perpetrator was removed from their role, and the Birmingham Methodist district carried out a safeguarding investigation, which concluded in June and found “no ongoing risk in relation to the original allegation.”

A spokesperson for Birmingham Methodist district told PinkNews that a safeguarding concern was first brought to the attention of the leadership team at IGB in late 2023, with subsequent complaints made directly to the district early last year. 

“Swift action was then taken by IGB and district leaders to ensure the safety of the community,” they said. “With risk removed, a five-month safeguarding investigation followed. However, beyond the initial concern, multiple further allegations could not be corroborated or were found to be inaccurate and therefore dismissed.

“Multiple opportunities to respond were offered to the whole IGB community, and all those put forward as witnesses were specifically contacted and invited to make statements. Throughout, we have continually urged everyone to contact police directly if they feel they had been a victim of a crime.”

Services have not resumed because of the “distress and damage the situation caused”, they added.

Matthew Lloyd, an advocate for the complainants and a former member of the congregation, said they had very clear demands.

First, they want a third party to look at the investigation “because it’s clear the church cannot do it itself”. Secondly, they want the police “to [make] a public appeal, asking for people to come forward, and then [be] reassured that their views will be taken seriously and they don’t have to go through the church”. 

In November, West Midlands Police arrested a man on suspicion of sexual assault. He has been bailed while enquiries continue.