“David went through hell trying to do the right thing. Church members shunned and insulted him, and
accused him of money-grubbing — it was clear that money was the farthest thing from his mind...”
Susan Stanich, award-winning journalist and writer for The Duluth News Tribune
Ever concerned for children's safety, David volunteered his house as a McGruff Safe House for Kids. After the required background check by law enforcement and the training orientation, he was accepted into the McGruff program in June 1995.
"When I met David Samarzia in 2014, I had never heard of him or his lawsuit. Being a natural organizer, I offered to sort through the numerous boxes of papers he’d hauled around for years, and file everything in order. I was astounded as he recounted to me the painful story of his life and was amazed that he never varied in the details. Everything I saw in the paperwork corroborated his verbal account. I believe that David’s story becoming better known is an important step to help stop the re-victimization of sexual assault victims that happens far too often."
Carol Tardiff, writer
After 40 hours of training provided by the MN Department of
Corrections Approved Crisis Counseling program, David
staffed a hotline for PAVSA (Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault), handling calls from persons in crisis. On May 20, 1998, PAVSA paid tribute to David for his many hours of unpaid work with this non-profit.
David
So many sex-abuse scandals have surfaced, and countless stories
have been written about them. This one is different.
Copyright David Samarzia 2023
David Samarzia
Author and Advocate
DISCLAIMER: The contents of this website (not including links to other sites which are the responsibility of those site owners) are based on the opinions of David Samarzia and presented with the understanding that he does not intend to render any type of medical, psychological, legal, or any other kind of professional advice.
NBC affiliate KBJR-TV newscasts: Losing Faith (1996-1998) The Legal Loophole (2002)
“The healing for all the molester's victims could have started a whole lot sooner—IF the church had simply investigated my claims. I would never have filed a lawsuit. Or if the church had stopped the process after the trial, and not dragged it out with motions and appeals for so many years that I literally had a breakdown. The tactic has a name: Legal Abuse Syndrome. People generally believe we have safeguards in place, so things like this can’t happen. But it goes on all the time. The justice system ought to be a shield for those who’ve already been victimized. Instead, it’s used as a weapon to wear them down. Understanding this legal assault against the vulnerable is one step toward working together to solve it.”
David Samarzia, pioneer and trailblazer for rescuing children before they could be put in harm's way, refused to give up despite the denomination's protracted legal battle against him. He spoke with hundreds of survivors, helping them find hope again; worked with legislators to change victims' laws; and began writing his memoir to help others by what he'd learned. Maybe this is why David survived a youthful suicide attempt — to be an impassioned voice for men and women who carry lifelong scars from sexual assault.
A few of the many organizations to which he donated his time, talent, and resources:
Blindsided: A Memoir by David Samarzia
The first in a fully-documented series telling the true story
behind the headlines that shocked a nation
Looking for representation in 2024
The church's newly-written sex abuse policy in his hand, David Samarzia told its leadership that their former pastor had abused him. He didn’t ask them for a dime—just keep that pedophile away from children. In a bewildering turn of events that made national news before spreading around the globe, ecclesial officials and their lawyers chose to defend a self-admitted child molester and go after the victim instead.
Even more betrayal of trust would follow.