Tim Ballard, the subject of the summer blockbuster hit Sound Of Freedom, has been accused of sexual misconduct within his own anti-sex trafficking organization, Operation Underground Railroad.
In July, Vice News reported that Ballard had taken a leave of absence from O.U.R. amid an undisclosed internal investigation. Now, Vice has confirmed that seven female employees of O.U.R. have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Ballard.
The allegations against Ballard paint a disturbing picture of his behavior within the organization. He is accused of inviting women to pose as his “wife” during overseas rescue missions and allegedly coercing them into sharing a bed or showering together, all under the pretext of fooling traffickers. Additionally, he allegedly sent inappropriate photos of himself in his underwear to at least one woman and asked another “how far she was willing to go” to save child victims of sex trafficking.
The number of women who may have experienced sexual misconduct at the hands of Ballard could be even higher. While the current allegations involve employees, multiple volunteers have also allegedly stepped forward with similar stories.
The allegations against Ballard had been circulating within the Utah philanthropic community for several months through an anonymous letter. This letter detailed accounts of Ballard’s alleged misconduct.
“It was ultimately revealed through disturbingly specific and parallel accounts, that Tim has been deceitfully and extensively grooming and manipulating multiple women for the past few years with the ultimate intent of coercing them to participate in sexual acts with him, under the premise of going where it takes and doing ‘whatever it takes’ to save a child,” the letter read.
In an official statement to Vice, O.U.R. confirmed that Ballard was “permanently” separated from the organization in June. The statement also emphasized O.U.R.’s dedication to combatting sexual abuse and its commitment to not tolerate sexual harassment or discrimination within the organization. An independent law firm was retained to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations, and the organization is actively working to improve its governance and operational protocols.
In response to these allegations, Ballard, who is rumored to be considering a run for the Senate, released a statement via The Spear Fund, an organization anti-human trafficking.
“As with all of the assaults on my character and integrity over many years, the latest tabloid-driven sexual allegations are false,” Ballard said. “They are baseless inventions designed to destroy me and the movement we have built to end the trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable children.
“During my time at O.U.R., I designed strict guidelines for myself and our operators in the field,” he continued. “Sexual contact was prohibited, and I led by example. Given our meticulous attention to this issue, any suggestion of inappropriate sexual contact is categorically false.”
