Thread by @SarahUnsicker

I am now aware of three facilities in Missouri, all exempt from licensure, that reportedly regularly abuse(d) children: Circle of Hope (closed), Agape Boarding School (still open), and Camp Kanaukak. news-leader.com/story/news/loc…

Last year, the Missouri legislature passed a law to regulate license-exempt residential facilities. Part of this law allows the attorney general to file suit to close down residential facilities that abuse children. house.mo.gov/billtracking/b…

Despite the good work of @robertbucklin8 and others, Agape remains open. I want to focus here on summer camps though.

Summer camps are not regulated in Missouri. There is no licensed required for day camps or residential camps. And they do not fall under the category of "license-exempt" facilities either. acacamps.org/resource-libra…

Regulated license-exempt facilities are residential facilities operated by a religious organization. I am not sure whether camps are considered "residential facilities" and even if they are, it appears only religious camps have the loose regulations of "license-exempt" facilities

Day camps in Missouri appear to be unregulated.

But I want to get back to the article. Thanks to @gregoryholman for excellent reporting on this. news-leader.com/story/news/loc…

What got to me was the story at the beginning: When Evan's abuser stopped abusing, Evan was so completely groomed that he wasn't only relieved, but actually "bitter about it." While he knew what was going on, he didn't recognize it as abuse until years later.

People can be psychologically manipulated into believing bad is good, that abuse is either the victims fault or in some cases (like here) that it is not even abuse.
That is how people are exploited and abused.

BTW, here are the regulations for all states. acacamps.org/resource-libra…. Let me know if you find any other states that don't regulate summer or day camps; the ones I clicked on (Texas and Michigan) regulate these and also require background checks.