Featured Image Credit: ShawnRyanShow / YouTube
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
Defamation laws are challenging and complex, yet one major YouTuber is refusing to stand down from a legal challenge made by a Christian camp, as he made strong accusations during a recent podcast episode.
Shawn Ryan is one of the most prominent podcasters on YouTube, racking up over 280 episodes of his digital show where he explores a wide variety of topics, most notably related to the government and the military.
He has welcomes a wide variety of guests including former SEAL operators, notable ethical hackers, and even President Donald Trump following his return to the Oval Office last year, yet a recent episode he filmed has left him in legal trouble.
Advert
Ryan welcomed Elizabeth Phillips, founder of child protection advocacy group No More Victims, onto his show's 272nd episode, and they discussed allegations of child sexual abuse that occurred at Kanakuk Kamps, which her brother Trey was subject to before he tragically took his life in 2019.
Within this episode, Ryan and Phillips discussed claims that 'thousands' of children had been abused by adults at the Christian camps over the years, and those affected had been put under non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) following legal settlements.
In particular, they point towards Pete Newman, a senior Kanakuk employee and camp director who was imprisoned for sexually abusing children and is now serving life sentences.
Following the episode, Ryan's lawyers received a 'demand letter' from Kanakuk Ministries informing them that Ryan was being sued for defamation, demanding that he take down a portion of his interview with Phillips, issue an apology, and stop talking about the subject altogether.
Ryan has now released a statement via YouTube where he reveals that, following the expiry of the 10-day deadline, he will not be cooperating with Kanakuk's demands, and has even encouraged them to keep trying.
"Here's my response. No. I don't negotiate with pedophiles, or the people who defend them," Ryan proclaimed in his statement, adding: "I'm not taking anything down. I'm not apologizing. And I'm damn sure not going to stop talking about child sexual abuse in a Christian camp that continues to operate on the same grounds where horrific abuse took place."
Ryan told Kanakuk to 'bring it on', noting: "We welcome discovery. We welcome depositions of Kanakuk leadership about what they knew, when they knew it, and what they did, or didn't do, to protect children.
"We welcome full disclosure of every abuse allegation, every settlement, every internal investigation, and every financial record showing whether Kanakuk actually suffered any harm from my statement, or whether this is just an attempt to intimidate people into silence."
He notes that, under Tennessee law, the camp organization has to prove that what Ryan discussed was untrue, that his actions were driven by malice, and that he knew his statements were false or that he had serious doubts about their truth.
"To everyone watching, this is why we do this show," Ryan concluded. "This is why we tell real stories about real people, because the truth matters, because kids matter, and because some things are more important than money or reputation."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.
