9 , ▁the ▁Houston ▁Chron icle ▁and ▁San ▁Antonio ▁Express - News ▁published ▁an ▁investig ative ▁report ▁into ▁w ides p read ▁sexual ▁ab use ▁within ▁member ▁churches ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁Bapt ist ▁Convention . ▁The ▁report ▁found ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁roughly ▁ 3 8 0 ▁cler gy , ▁lay ▁leaders ▁and ▁volunte ers ▁had ▁faced ▁alleg ations ▁of ▁sexual ▁mis con duct , ▁leaving ▁behind ▁over ▁ 7 0 0 ▁vict ims . ▁The ▁extent ▁of ▁mis con duct ▁is ▁further ▁complicated ▁by ▁work ▁within ▁the ▁Southern ▁Bapt ist ▁Convention ▁to ▁move ▁sex ▁off enders ▁to ▁other ▁communities ▁and ▁resist ▁attempts ▁to ▁address ▁the ▁culture ▁of ▁ab use . ▁ ▁Background ▁Al leg ations ▁of ▁sexual ▁mis con duct ▁are ▁not ▁a ▁new ▁development ▁within ▁the ▁Southern ▁Bapt ist ▁Convention . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁biggest ▁bomb sh ells ▁of ▁the ▁investig ative ▁report ▁was ▁the ▁comp licity ▁of ▁Bapt ist ▁leadership ▁in ▁covering ▁up ▁alleg ations ▁and ▁moving ▁off enders ▁to ▁other ▁communities , ▁all ▁while ▁facing ▁some ▁of ▁their ▁own ▁alleg ations ▁of ▁inde c ency . ▁The ▁report ▁by ▁the ▁Chron icle ▁and ▁Express - News ▁said ▁that ▁at ▁least ▁ten ▁Southern ▁Bapt ist ▁churches ▁wel com ed ▁past ors , ▁minister s ▁and ▁volunte ers ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁charged ▁with ▁sexual ▁mis con duct , ▁many ▁of ▁whom ▁were ▁registered ▁sex ▁off enders . ▁Past ors ▁Les lie ▁Mason , ▁Michael ▁Lee ▁Jones ▁and ▁Joseph ▁S . ▁Rat l iff ▁all ▁continued ▁to ▁work