The RZIM board has confirmed there is ‘significant, credible evidence that Ravi Zacharias engaged in sexual misconduct over the course of many years’ after an interim report into the abuse was released. This comes after repeated denials about his conduct issued by the board and Zacharias himself prior to his death.
Staff had already raised concerns about the dismissal of allegations and some had spoken up at meetings before this report was released. Zacharias had come under fire for calling himself a Dr and Professor at Oxford, when he only held honorary doctorates, and had never worked at Oxford University.
He had also paid $250,000 to a couple, the Thompsons, who had made allegations of grooming and abuse in 2016. He denied the abuse, and the payment to the couple. These incidents have not formed part of the investigation. On her blog, Lori Anne Thompson says she and her husband: ‘Applaud the individual employees of RZIM for their courage, whilst still calling RZIM Headquarters to full disclosure, complete transparency, and institutional courage, that as of yet, they have not demonstrated’.
RZIM staff member Dr Max Baker-Hytch said there needs to be a ‘total apology and total transparency’. He also called for ‘meaningful reparations’ to be made. Sam Allberry, back in October prior to the release of the report, said: ‘I believe these women and find their allegations to be credible,’ as did Amy Orr-Ewing.
Ongoing investigation
The Interim Report of Investigation into Allegations of Sexual Harassment by Miller and Martin (MM) noted they were ‘hired specifically to investigate the sexual harassment alleged to have occurred at the Touch of Eden and Jivan Wellness spas’, both of which were owned by Zacharias.
The report goes on: ‘Some of that misconduct is consistent with and corroborative of that which is reported (en November 2020), and some of the conduct we have uncovered is more serious. Our investigation is ongoing, and we continue to pursue leads.’
RZIM CEO Sarah Davis, Zacharias’ daughter, promised to release the full results from the ongoing investigation. The full report will be issued in late January or February.
