A former employee of Albuquerque’s Crossroads for Women alleges her supervisor at the time sexually assaulted her in his office last year. The allegations are contained in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in the Second Judicial District Court by Albuquerque law firm Huffman Wallace & Monagle.
Another lawsuit filed last month alleges the same man sexually abused a client while he was executive director of Steelbridge Ministries.
Tuesday’s complaint seeks damages from Travis Clark, an associate director of Crossroads for Women, and the organization as a whole, stating there were “grave concerns” raised by Crossroads’ staff prior to Clark being hired. Crossroads provides housing and other services for women exiting incarceration who are at risk of experiencing homelessness.
“Crossroads for Women’s board of directors and executive team knew about prior allegations of sexual abuse against Travis Clark,” a Wednesday news release by attorney Shayne C. Huffman, said. “Former and current employees raised concerns out of fear for the safety of residents and other employees at the organization.”
Clark was previously charged, and later acquitted, of sexually assaulting a minor while coaching high school basketball at Liberty High School in Colorado Springs in 2012 , according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges one of Crossroads for Women’s original founders — who wasn’t identified — wrote a letter to its board of directors, cautioning against hiring Clark.
“It would not be improper (and might be negligent not) to consider prior evidence of sexual misconduct, particularly hiring [Clark] in a position with direct contact with vulnerable women and children,” the release quotes the letter as stating.
The plaintiff in the Crossroads’ lawsuit is identified as “Jane Doe 2”; in the Steelbridge lawsuit the plaintiff is identified as “Jane Doe 1.” Huffman said Wednesday that the law firm wasn’t able to determine if Clark is currently an employee at Crossroads.
Attempts by City Desk ABQ to contact administrators at Crossroads for Women for comment, and to verify if Clark is still employed there, have been unsuccessful.
“The very harm that Crossroads was explicitly cautioned about became a reality for Jane Doe 2,” attorney Levi Monagle, said in the release. “Travis Clark exploited his position of authority to victimize her — a tragedy that was entirely avoidable.”
The complaint also alleges Crossroads’ current executive director, Bernice Varela, while working as chief operating officer at another Albuquerque nonprofit — HopeWorks — had an inappropriate relationship with Clark.
“While Varela was employed at HopeWorks, a group of 13 current and former HopeWorks employees submitted a letter to HopeWork’s board of directors [who] raised concerns that Varela and Clark were in a sexual relationship,” the lawsuit states.
Varela still hired Clark despite the objections, the 12-page lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit alleges a “troubling systematic failure” that enabled Clark to move between organizations despite allegations of sexual misconduct.
All three nonprofits that Clark has worked for — Crossroads, Steelbridge and HopeWorks — assist vulnerable clients who are experiencing homelessness, have mental health issues or are in addiction recovery. Some have recently been released from incarceration.
“The repeated passing of Travis Clark between organizations, despite serious allegations of misconduct, is a glaring example of systemic failures that demand accountability,” Monagle said in the release.
Read the full lawsuit below.