1 /5 Gabriela Velasco: I went to youth group here when I was in middle school and stopped attending, because one day after a service, a lady who worked there grabbed my arm tight and dragged me to the side, not explaining anything. I naturally tried to get away because this strange old woman was grabbing me, but she just grabbed me tighter and made a sound like “nuh uh”. I was super confused and frightened. I can remember feeling her nails dig into my skin. then the youth pastor (i don’t remember his name anymore it has been years) came out and this lady basically just told him that i talked during the service. he didn’t do anything but they scolded me and i was free to go. even if i had spoken, that is no reason to grab anyone, let alone a young teenager like that with no explanation. i was too scared to go back to youth group after this.
Now a few years have passed and it just bewilders me that anyone thought that grabbing me like that was acceptable? Especially now that i have professionally worked with kids of all ages, ranging from 5-17 i would never grab anyone like that no matter what they did. i went to other youth groups as well, and not only did they treat me and other kids better, but it was more fun. so yeah. it’s been years, so hopefully that lady doesn’t work there anymore, and hopefully she never works with children again, but thought i’d leave this review because i was definitely a bit traumatized for a bit after this incident, and i think parents deserve to know how their kids might get treated at youth group here.
