Child rape victim calls out Australian PM Scott Morrison.
Video / SkyNews
A man who was sexually abused by a Kiwi pastor has blasted Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his friendship with the son of the man who raped him over a five-year period as a child.
Brett Sengstock, 57, was seven years old when Pentecostal pastor Frank Houston started sexually assaulted him — but he didn't expose the man until he turned 16.
The predator was Hillsong founder Brian Houston's father, Frank Houston, a high-profile pastor who used his position of power to sexually abuse young boys.
Australian PM Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny on stage at Hillsong with founder Brian Houston. Photo / News Corp Australia
Scott Morrison wanted his friend, Auckland-born and Wellington-raised pastor Brian Houston, to be part of his delegation for the official state dinner only for it to be "vetoed" by the Americans, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Morrison has dismissed but not denied the story, while Houston said he'd not received an invitation to the White House and had not discussed it with Morrison or anyone else.
Recently, Morrison and his wife Jenny were warmly welcomed to the Hillsong Conference by Brian Houston to the horror of Sengstock.
"Here's the PM of this country on stage with Brian Houston, who is currently under investigation by the NSW Police, for concealing crimes of his father and they're up there with their arms around each other," Sengstock told the Sunday Project.
Brett Sengstock finally decided to share his story on 60 Minutes. Photo / Channel 9
"The national apology (to child abuse victims), what was the point in doing it?
"It was a scam. Publicly he did it to appease all the abuse survivors in this country. As for backing it up with anything ... it's absolutely monstrous, an absolute disgrace."
Raped for five years
As a boy, Brett Sengstock was subjected to horrific and degrading abuse at the hands of Hillsong pastor Frank Houston who repeatedly raped him over five years from the age of seven.
It wasn't until he was 16 that Sengstock finally broke his silence about the abuse to his mother who then carried her son's secret for another two decades until finally breaking the shocking news to church elders.
Media scrutiny has focused on the Hillsong Church over the way Brian Houston dealt with the sins of his father, which he did not report to police, comes under the spotlight.
Frank's son Brian spoke to the royal commission into child sex abuse. Photo / Channel 9
Brian Houston is being investigated by the NSW Police for failing to report his father's child sexual abuse.
"We were big in the church and had strong ties in the church and Frank Houston came over to a Christian camp," Sengstock told The Sunday Project host Lisa Wilkinson. "Then he came back to my family's house.
"One night Frank Houston came in and climbed on top of me and started choking me and turned me over and I passed out. And he raped me. This went on repeatedly for days during that week.
"And me and Brian Houston would play on the sand together and Frank would rape me again. Late in the night, back on top of me."
The abuse continued for five years at Sengstock's home in Coogee in Sydney's eastern suburbs and wherever he encountered Frank Houston.
In a move seemingly out of a paedophile's handbook, Frank told M Sengstock he was his "golden boy" but warned him not to tell anyone about the abuse — described as "our secret" — as, "No-one will believe me anyway."
Shockingly, Sengstock said after the abuse became known in the 1990s — when Brian Houston was president of the Assemblies of God Australia — Frank Houston started calling Sengstock and offered him A$10,000.
Frank Houston died in 2004 and had admitted to the sexual abuse of children in Australia and New Zealand. Photo / YouTube / Hillsong TV
"Brian Houston facilitated the money but said something to me that rocked me to this day," Sengstock told The Sunday Project. "He said, 'You know, this is all your fault. You tempted my father.'"
Brian Houston has denied he ever said this and added the day he confronted his father — who admitted the abuse — was "the worst day of my life".
"My father, you know, he did some very evil things but there is no way he tried to blame the boy. He took it upon himself," Brian Houston previously told the Today show.
Brian Houston said he "did not have time" to speak to The Sunday Project. In a statement, the Hillsong Church said, "The victim was a 36 year old adult when this abuse became known … (and) did not want Pastor Brian or others to go to the police.
"At no time did Pastor Brian attempt to dissuade anyone including the victim from going to the police."
If you're in danger NOW:
• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you. • Run outside and head for where there are other people. • Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you. • If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault.
Where to go for help or more information:
• NZ Police • Help Auckland 24/7 helpline 09 623 1700 • Rape Prevention Education • Wellington Help 24/7 crisisline 04 801 6655, push 0 • Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse • Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz • Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz • Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584 • White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women, focusing this year on sexual violence and the issue of consent. www.whiteribbon.org.nz
