A woman from North Carolina tragically ended her life after publicly sharing her story of alleged sexual abuse at the hands of a Raleigh pastor.
The woman, identified as Toreka James, used her Facebook account under the name “Eternity Philops” to post a series of videos and a lengthy post detailing the abuse she says began when she was 18 years old.
The accused, Pastor Sonya Spence Walker, leads Word Center Church in Raleigh. Toreka’s testimony, published in November 2023 under the title “MY TESTIMONY,” describes how Walker allegedly initiated a sexual relationship with her, which lasted through her college years and beyond.
In a series of videos, “The True Confessions of a Teenage Mistress,” Toreka spoke openly about the abuse she endured, which she had kept hidden for 22 years.
In her post, Toreka revealed that she had recently confided in her mother about the alleged relationship, which her family had been unaware of. She described her mother’s initial shock and the emotional impact of the revelation.
Toreka explained that it took her two decades to come forward because it took that long to fully understand the truth of her experience.
“It didn’t take me 22 years to decide to tell the truth; it took me 22 years to realize the truth,” she wrote.
She also highlighted that the abuse involved not just the sexual relationship but a deep power imbalance, as Walker was in a position of authority both within the church and over her.
Reflecting on the alleged relationship, Toreka characterized it as abusive, noting that Walker held significant influence in their church community as the wife of the church’s bishop and a trusted figure in Toreka’s family.
Despite her age at the time, Toreka explained that she felt vulnerable and far from being a “proper adult.”
The long-term psychological toll of the relationship eventually led Toreka to seek help for depression.
She was hospitalized at one point and prescribed medication while she struggled with suicidal thoughts. Although she said she took responsibility for the affair, she also expressed that it was inappropriate given Walker’s position of power.
Toreka’s story also pointed to the internal conflict she felt about her sexuality, as her church taught that homosexuality was a sin.
This added another layer of trauma to the situation, as she wrestled with the secret nature of the relationship and the condemnation she believed she would face from the church community if it were exposed.
In her final communication with Walker in 2018, Toreka sought acknowledgment of the pain caused by their alleged relationship, but she said Walker dismissed her concerns, advising her to “let it go and move on.”
Toreka described Walker as a “predator” and concluded that the pastor had exploited her silence for years.
Toreka’s heartbreaking testimony has prompted discussions about the intersection of power, abuse, and silence within religious communities.
Her story is a tragic reminder of the long-lasting effects of abuse and the need for accountability, even in cases that remain unspoken for years.
