Relayed to XGW by Wayne Besen:
The Dallas Voice reported two weeks ago that an ex-ex-gay man, Mark Hufford, has dropped a lawsuit against Texas ex-gay counselor Christopher Joe Austin, and is seeking to drop criminal charges of sexual assault.
[Hufford] says he has now come to grips with his sexual orientation and forgiven the psychologist. “I’ve just come to a place where I’m fine with who I am,” said Mark Hufford, who filed a civil suit against the psychologist in 2002 in connection with the alleged assault. “I don’t need to change. I’m not going to try to fix something that’s not broken.” …Hufford, 43, said he has forgiven the psychologist and wanted to move on.
Mr. Austin is a “homosexual recovery” counselor at Church of Christ South MacArthur in Irving, Texas.
From the church’s Singles Program page:
Dr. Chris Austin teaches our class. He has his PhD in marriage and family therapy. Chris challenges us each week to seek God and to build our relationship in him more each day. The class is an open discussion format where all are welcome to share. Please keep in mind that this is an adult class where we talk about real world situations and topics. You will be stretched to pray, study, think for yourself and grow in God’s love.
Special Note: Grady D. King to Teach Class
Our preacher will be teaching our class the next four weeks. Chris Austin is taking a sabbatical from teaching for a few months. We will have various adult teachers in four-six week blocks.
The Dallas district attorney’s office told the Dallas Voice that charges involving sexual assault and child pornography remain pending against Austin, after police allegedly found child porn on Austin’s computer. An April 2002 Dallas Voice article details the allegations.
The April 2002 article reported that Hufford was married with children and sought help from the church in overcoming his orientation. But the new article reports:
[Hufford:] “I would hope that [Austin] gets the help he needs, and that he can be honest with his wife and church and family about what happened and not continue to lie,” Hufford said.Hufford said that he suspects Austin will use discussion of the lawsuits and the resolution to his advantage in an effort to resume his ex-gay ministry.
Hufford said that he has been dating a man for seven months and has accepted his sexual orientation for the first time in his life. He recently quit seeing a psychologist who “opposes homosexuality,” he said.
Hufford credits Wayne Besen for helping him discover that he was not alone in being sexually and emotionally abused by ex-gay counselors.
Church of Christ South MacArthur has generally refrained from comment on the matter.
Update, March 26, 2006: Mark Hufford confirms to Ex-Gay Watch that his own charges were dropped, and he believes child-porn charges were dismissed on a technicality.
Since filing charges against Dr. Chris Austin in 2001, I’ve come to a place where it just is not important that the sexual assault charge needs pursuing. Exposing what happened and talking about it publically has more impact to help others than waiting for a trial date.
However, it is very hard to understand that the where child pornography is involved, that an individual is allowed to continue providing counseling services where matters of certain trust are expected from a client. Adults needing help, or children.
The risk to the public is very apparent in a situation like this. The betrayel felt from this charge almost minimizes what actually happened to me personally in sessions.
Most individuals with child pornography charges are held accountable much sooner than two years after the fact.
Mark has published his personal testimony here.
If anyone is pressing the authorities to pursue the charges, or knows why the charges are in limbo, I welcome them to respond, publicly or privately.
Mike, although I have chosen not to pursue the sexual assault charge, in my last conversation with the district attorneys office, I was told there is no statute of limitations on going to trial on any of the pending charges.
The copies of the actual arrest warrants for the child pornography that I was given, give detailed descriptions of those six images found.
The Dallas District Attorneys office is in control of the situation, and it appears there is not hurry on their part.
Very interesting that NARTH would have Dr. Austin speaking at the 2004 conference with child pornography arrests and sexual assault on a male client that tried overcoming homosexuality. It would be interesting to hear NARTH’s take on the whole matter. I was under the impression at least the child porn charges where still pending?
John, it is not unusual for most of these programs and therapists to turn their heads when one of their own screws up. In fact, they usually come running to aid them and excuse it all away.
Dr. Austin’s “recovery” web site links support of Exodus, who had issues with his tactics long before what happened with me. The psychologists that work so hard on the issue of homosexual recovery, are simply masking thier own problems with not coping with who they really are.
It is not important to me personally what happens with Chris Austin. Knowing that I have been truthful in what really took place in my sessions with him, and now can be who I really am, brings me comfort and peace that he will never know. It is hard to imagine what it is like to be in his shoes knowing the truth and living something else.
The reward for the traumas caused me, has been being able to speak out openly without shame. That has allowed others the opportunity to contact me about thier victimization of his and others.
We all have our own platforms and beliefs.
In recent months, some commenters have made serious allegations on this page about Dr. Austin, allegations that are worthy of investigation but which might be considered libelous if shown to be false. Some commenters used identities whose authenticity has not been confirmed.
Therefore, I have hidden many of the comments for the time being, and disabled further commenting on this page.
If you are a former patient of Dr. Austin, please contact Ex-Gay Watch or Truth Wins Out via e-mail and let us know your opinions, favorable or otherwise.
If you believe Dr. Austin is guilty of some form of malpractice, then I also recommend that you contact mental-health and legal professionals for assistance in pursuing appropriate action against Dr. Austin.