Campus ‘spiritual leader’ used ‘nudity is unity’ to normalize offenses, victim’s attorney claims

A man widely regarded as a spiritual leader in Texas now faces accusations of exploiting religion to groom and manipulate boys and young men, with allegations of sexual assault and abuse spanning decades.

Daniel Savala, a registered sex offender since 2013, is the subject of a lawsuit filed in Harris County. The suit claims that despite his status, college campus ministry leaders continued to involve him in activities with children and young adults.

According to court documents, some ministry leaders reportedly witnessed assaults by Savala but still facilitated visits to his home for “mission work” involving youth from religious groups across the state.

Savala was associated with Chi Omega Campus Ministries, a co-ed Pentecostal group operating on nearly 300 college campuses. The lawsuit, filed by a legally blind victim who was part of the ministry group at Sam Houston State University, alleges that the abuse began in 2017.

Savala’s history includes previous accusations of sexual abuse, with a 2012 indictment on 11 charges related to assaults on minors in a youth group he led in Alaska during the 1990s. Despite pleading guilty to one charge and serving a 90-day prison sentence, he continued to be involved with young people.

Attorney Anjali Nigam, representing the survivor from SHSU, highlighted how ministry leaders were aware of Savala’s past yet still facilitated interactions with him. Nigam also pointed out instances where leaders rallied support for Savala, including mobilizing a letter-writing campaign after his 2012 charges.

In recent years, Savala faced additional allegations, including accusations of abuse alongside a former Baylor University campus minister. As more victims came forward, Savala was transferred to Harris County, where he faces charges related to incidents dating back to 2005 and as recent as 2021.

Nigam emphasized Savala’s manipulation of religion in his grooming process, using religious texts to normalize abuse and employing phrases like “Nudity is unity” to justify his actions.

Requests for comment from impacted universities have not been addressed at this time.