In December 2006, Ex-Gay Watch asked some questions about the lack of protections for youth in ex-gay programs. Alan Chambers, the President of Exodus International, responded in the comments section. He claimed that pro-gay groups do have problems but that Exodus does not:

I went to a group in Orlando as a teen and saw plenty of inappropriate, even illegal, behavior going on between adults and youth. We hear from parents and teens all the time about such practices. I am not going to say this is always the case, but there is illegal activity where youth are concerned going on in gay sponsored programs. There isn’t in Exodus sponsored ones—and I pray that there never is.

However, it now has come to our attention that six months prior to this statement Peterson Toscano spoke with Alan Chambers about three separate incidents of very inappropriate activity.

On June 26, 2006 I initially left voice messages for Alan Chambers of Exodus International and another national ex-gay leader about inappropriate incidents that affected youth at an Exodus member ministry. … The shocking details of the third situation compelled me to contact Alan and this other national leader. …

E-mails went back and forth including one in which the program director of the Exodus member ministry acknowledged the situation did occur, and since being alerted about it by Alan, shared some of the steps he took to address it. After multiple phone conversations with Alan’s assistant and more e-mails, Alan finally agreed to speak with me on the phone. The other national leader declined to speak with me out of concern for possible legal liability issues.

These stories do not agree.

Either Peterson did not make Alan personally aware of the incidents (and it appears that he has email correspondence to support his claims),

or else Alan was fully aware of incidences of inappropriate and possibly illegal activity in Exodus affiliated programs while he was claiming that they did not exist.

UPDATE

Alan posted the following on Warren Throckmorton’s website

Timothy,

Nothing slipped my mind—there wasn’t an incident at an Exodus Member Ministry. Two people met there and months (maybe a year) later they actually hooked up.

As for dropping a ministry, that happens at renewal. Come February, I imagine there will be fewer Exodus Member Ministries.

Alan

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