A group of women who allegedly experienced abuse while working for Operation Underground Railroad (OUR) — a nonprofit that claims to fight sex trafficking, and was behind the summer blockbuster Sound of Freedom — are speaking out via a lawyer, Suzette Rasmussen. On Thursday, the attorney released a statement from the women, who are all remaining anonymous.
“Our involvement with Operation Underground Railroad was rooted in our commitment to fighting against human trafficking,” the women said in a statement. “But while engaging in that noble cause, we were subjected to sexual harassment, spiritual manipulation, grooming, and sexual misconduct.
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“Though we value our privacy as we work to rebuild our lives, we also feel a responsibility to speak out and state unequivocally that these allegations are true,” they continued. “We acknowledge the risks involved in challenging someone as prominent as [OUR founder and former CEO] Tim Ballard. We will reveal our stories in our own time and on our own terms, but for now, we choose to remain anonymous.”
A rep for Ballard did not respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment in time for publication.
Ballard recently stepped down from his role at the organization...
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