Hillsong rebukes sexual violence
The Hillsong Church has issued a statement in the wake of the Jarryd Hayne allegations, condemning “any form of sexual violence or abuse”. A woman known only as “Ms V” has filed a civil case in the Santa Clara County court in the US alleging Hayne had engaged in nonconsensual sexual intercourse with her in December 2015. According to court documents seen by 9news.com.au, the woman is seeking a jury trial and compensation “for the emotional pain, anguish and severe distress” the alleged incident caused.
The suit includes complaints of sexual battery, gender violence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence.
The District Attorney’s office reviewed the case and later rejected it based on insufficient evidence, the documents reveal. Hayne’s Sydney lawyer Ramy Qutami said in a statement his client “unequivocally and vehemently” denies the allegations of rape Hayne touched down in Tel Aviv.
He refused to answer questions at the airport, responding to reporters with just one word - “wow”. Hayne was accompanied by fellow Hillsong Church member Danny Nicholson.
Hillsong’s full statement read: “While we don’t know the circumstances behind the allegations Jarryd is facing in the USA, we condemn any form of sexual violence or abuse.”
Hayne has history with the church joining in 2008 and attending several of the congregation’s major events in the past few years. Even at the beginning of his short tenure with the San Francisco 49ers, Hayne jetted back into Sydney for a special Hillsong event featuring Justin Bieber in 2015. In a recorded interview during the Hillsong Conference at Allphones Arena in July that year, Hayne told 20,000 worshippers about his relationship with God. Meanwhile, NRL, Gold Coast Titans and Parramatta have said they have been “blindsided” by the revelation of serious allegations of rape against Hayne. The NRL will have serious questions to ask of Hayne when he returns from a religious pilgrimage in Israel. Key among them will be around the timing of the criminal case and allegations of rape brought against Hayne, and why he didn’t disclose them at the time of his signing with the Titans.