Well-Known Youth Climbing Coach Mike Lyons Arrested On Sexual Assault Charges

A very similar thing happend with a youth group leader at a church I attended when I was younger. He admitted to his actions, then died of a heart attack in jail while awaiting trial. Though I was not directly involved, I witnessed the fallout. The emotional scars he inflicted on his family, friends and people who trusted him were apparent even years after everything happened.

My heart goes out to all of those affected Mike Lyons’ profoundly selfish and disgusting actions. I hope for the quickest recovery of the girl, her family and the Earth Treks community.

There’s a very special place in hell for people that commit those crimes…

“charged with the sexual assault of one of his team members after he admitted to having sex with a 14 year-old girl according to a criminal complaint.”

I believe this is incorrect.  He was faced with several charges of disparate severity.  I believe he only confessed to some portion (potentially only one?) of these and to which it is unclear.  It is possible that his offence is as limited as suggestive texts to minors, which would fall under solicitation I believe.  Obviously it is possible that much more happened, but as yet that is uncertain. 

I also thought it was odd how “comfortable” he seemed with two female members of his team last summer at the Red.

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89% of
Sexual Predators have close relationship with their victims. Those predators
typically carryout 4 stages of abuse, each stage prepares the victim for the
next stage. Not every abuse is the same, but most follow a similar pattern.

Stage #1 Intimacy
and Secrecy

The Predator
may share personal information that speaks into the life of the victim, and
that bonds the victim into a special relationship.

Stage #2
Physical Touch that Appears Appropriate

The hug
after a comp or stretching the sore muscles. Mike found a way to hide his
motivates within the coaching relationship. In Stages #1 and #2 no alarms
should have been raised. These behaviors are closely related to coaching, but
there true intent is dramatically different. Intent is a hard thing to discern
and ultimately it is what defines an abuser. Mike intended to abuse these
children before the defined sexual acts.

Stage #3
Sexual Abuse Proper

Sharing
stories of first sexual experience, inappropriate sexual humor and invitations
to talk about sexual thoughts and feelings. This is where Earth Treks failed
these children, and they will have to answer some hard questions about their
protocols and behaviors. Mike and Earth Treks can be held liable in civil
litigation up to 7 years after the victims 18th birthday. In
Maryland there is a movement to extend that timeline into the victim 40s,
because that when most victims seek help and are prepared to face their abuser.
Many people have noted Mike’s inappropriate sexual humor toward Youth. This may
have been the only sign of his true intent. Each stage is a form of abuse,
because of its intent and relationship. This is the stage most people define as
abuse. Conversations quickly turn into sexual kissing. touching and eventually
rape.

Stage #4
Securing of Silence and or Maintenance of Sexual Abuse

Pleads for
forgiveness, consequences of exposure, offers of greater privileges. Mike had
unrestricted and unsupervised access to youth. He gave private lessons,
organized over night-trips to comps and lock-ins. He ran a camp to Red River
Gorge. He worked with USA Climbing and was deeply involved in their events.
Earth Treks is going to have to answer some hard questions about how so many of
their members were concerned about is inappropriate sense of humor.

USA Climbing
needs to list all the Gym/teams along with the time line he was working with
them, so parents can determine if Mike worked with there children. They also
need to list all of the competitions and events he worked, with dates. From a
liability perspective this is a nightmare, but it’s the right thing to do,
which trumps liability. There is a probability that more children were affected
and they will need help. I know this is controversial issue to post online and
a sensitive one, but in the climbing community we are about empowerment and
there are many people who need to read this story to be empowered. My heart
goes out to the victims of these evil crimes and to their families, friends and
the great climbing community that surrounds Maryland and Earth Treks.

So, in contrast, does anyone consider this photo inappropriate?  I know, Obe is famous, but this this the family like atmosphere that many gyms, ET included, fosters.

http://www.urbanclimbermag.com/photo-video/photos/ashima_shiraishi_in_hueco_tanks_tx/index4.html

Hey folks, by now you may know that both Mike and Dan have pleaded guilty to one felony count and one misdemeanor, respectively.  Mike’s sentencing will take place in February but Dan has been sentenced to 18 months suspended with 2 years of supervised probation, as well as some other conditions.  He is eligible for probation before judgment, meaning his record may be expunged at some point.

I would love for the climbing community to now WAKE UP and realize that our laid-back attitude maybe makes our children even more likely targets than children in Scouts, church or other sports.  I like to think that, compared to other sports we are supportive of one another rather than competitive (openly), which is awesome, but also makes it harder for us to think ill of people who have deviant behavior.  

I ask that those of you who have been denying the crimes that were committed please try hard to change your way of thinking and say to yourself, “child sexual abuse”.  It’s going to be hard to put appropriate policies in place to protect our children when people are still trying to convince themselves that those who committed these crimes are not guilty for some reason or another.  Let’s not let it happen again.