The $500 million Christian camp giant Young Life has failed to protect young people from sexual misconduct, some former members say

young life Colorado 5 — Young Life’s corporate headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Caleb Alvarado for Insider

Young Life is the 11th-largest ministry in the US, according to Ministry Watch.
Ten former members of the teen mega-ministry told Insider they experienced sexual misconduct.
Young Life operates 26 camps and has more than 8,500 local ministries worldwide.
Read the full investigation here.

Insider's six month-long investigation into the Christian youth group Young Life has revealed 10 claims from women who said they experienced sexual misconduct as staff members, volunteers, or students involved in the ministry.

Around 400,000 children worldwide attend Young Life meetings each week, according to the ministry. Some 250,000 also go to a Young Life summer camp. There are 26 camps worldwide, 20 of which are based in the US.

"You go to camp and your life is changed forever," a former volunteer leader from Colorado told Insider.

However, one of these camps was the setting in which Laureana Arellano, a former Young Life volunteer leader, said she was sexually assaulted in the summer of 2019. Cory Lange, another camp staff member, allegedly stuck his hands down Arellano's pants while both were working in a camp kitchen in Colorado and grabbed her genitals.

Are you a current or former Young Life staff member, volunteer, or student? Share your story with reporter Rachel Premack here or securely here.

Arellano said Young Life did not properly investigate her claims when she reported Lange's alleged behavior.

Her allegation formed the basis of a 2020 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint and a federal lawsuit that's since been settled out of court. In an interview, Arellano's roommate at the time corroborated her account of her interactions with Lange.

In a declaration filed in connection with the case, Lange said he never touched Arellano in any sexual way or made any sexual advances toward her; he did not respond to Insider's repeated requests for comment.

In written filings, Young Life denied Arellano's claim. A Young Life representative declined to comment on the case to Insider, citing the ongoing EEOC investigation but said that the organization is "defending itself vigorously."

Nearly eight months after Arellano's experience, she said she saw two male campers grab a female camper's breasts at a Young Life winter camp, according to interviews with Insider and her complaint. She reported this to the camp supervisor, who she said made the boys apologize to the girl but didn't kick them out.

Young Life operates more than 8,500 local ministries worldwide

Many of these ministries involve volunteers and employees who interact with children at their middle or high school lunch rooms and in after-school activities. It also has more than 200 ministries at college campuses across the US.

Women previously involved in Young Life in ministries located in Texas, Michigan, and other states told Insider they also experienced misconduct there.

When made aware of these allegations, either formally or informally, Young Life's local or national leadership ignored or mishandled their complaints, the women said. After reporting their experiences internally, at least one said she lost her position within the organization, and two others said they were suspended. Some said they were asked to forgive their alleged assailants.

"Women are not safe in this ministry if Young Life is going to listen to our stories and do nothing about it," said Brie Boatman, a former staff member who left Young Life in 2018.

"The safety and well-being of children and youth is a top priority for our organization, and abuse is not tolerated," a representative for Young Life said in response to a detailed list of allegations provided by Insider.

"Our sexual conduct, anti-harassment and mandatory reporting policies - along with training - are designed to equip Young Life staff and volunteers to recognize improper or criminal behavior and to take immediate and appropriate action. For this reason, along with the value we place on all those involved in our programs, we communicate clearly and consistently that Young Life is a mandatory reporter in all jurisdictions. We take every allegation of sexual misconduct and harassment seriously, and no one guilty of violating or abusing another individual is allowed to continue in relationship with Young Life."