Former Gloriavale Women Accuse Leader Howard Temple of Sexual Abuse in Court

On the second day of his trial in Greymouth, four former members of the Gloriavale Christian Community detailed harrowing accounts of sexual abuse they allegedly endured at the hands of the community’s former spiritual leader, Howard Temple. Temple, who has pleaded not guilty to 24 charges of sexual assault and indecent acts, faces a serious reckoning after decades of alleged misconduct.

The testimonies, delivered under cross-examination by Temple’s legal team, painted a disturbing picture of a culture of fear and control within the tightly-knit religious community. All four complainants described being touched on their breasts, bottoms, and legs, or grabbed around the waist, often in public settings where no one intervened.

Temple became the spiritual leader of Gloriavale in 2018, following the death of the community’s founder, Hopeful Christian. However, he had been a senior shepherd for many years prior, during which time the abuse is alleged to have occurred between 1997 and 2022. At the time, the complainants were aged between nine and 20 years old.

Within Gloriavale, young girls are expected to take on domestic duties from the age of five. These responsibilities include everything from clearing tables to heavier kitchen chores, and the complainants said this made them particularly vulnerable to Temple’s advances. They described how he would often wait for them to serve food or drinks, then touch them inappropriately.

One woman recounted being groped while carrying heavy jugs of non-alcoholic cider, leaving her with no hands to protect herself. Another described how Temple would ask her if anyone had told her they loved her that day, forcing her to lie in order to avoid confrontation. “He would run his hand up and down my legs, and touch my bum, or put his arm around me,” she said.

Many of the women testified that they felt powerless to speak out, fearing retribution from the community’s leaders. They said they were taught from an early age to be meek and obedient, and that any accusations of abuse would be dismissed as the victim’s fault. “Right from a baby you're taught not to speak against the leaders,” one woman said. “As a woman, you're supposed to be quiet with downcast eyes.”

Another complainant shared how, when she finally told her mother about the abuse, her mother refused to believe her, telling her that “she wasn’t allowed to speak evil of the leaders.” Others described being called into “servants and shepherds meetings” and accused of not living up to biblical standards, leading to social isolation and punishment.

Temple’s legal team has accused the women of fabricating or embellishing their accounts. However, the court was reminded that the community has a long history of suppressing dissent, with members often facing social shunning or being labeled as “sinners.”

Judge Neave has already intervened several times during the trial, criticizing Temple’s legal team for some of the questions they asked the complainants. More evidence is expected in the coming days, with further complainants and police officers set to give testimony. Defence witnesses, including members of the Gloriavale community, are also expected to speak in support of Howard Temple.

This trial has exposed the deep-rooted power imbalances and oppressive structures within the Gloriavale community. It is a stark reminder of the need for accountability and justice in places where abuse has long been hidden behind religious doctrine and fear.