Being a part of a religious sect entails a special sense of security, especially when you’re under the sanctuary and guidance of a tight-knit congregation. However, this can be exploited by abusers lurking in the Church. The past years proved to be yet scandalous not just for the Catholic Church and the Jehovah’s Witness, but for the Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Church as well. There have been a series of cases filed against the LDS Church for sexual abuse and cover-ups spanning decades.
About the Latter-Day Saints Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church or LDS Church, is the fourth-largest Christian denomination in the US. It reportedly has 16 million members. The LDS Church, however, strays away from conventional Christian beliefs in that its doctrines include a pre-mortal or before life, three degrees of heaven, and exaltation.
The LDS Church is led by men. The President of the Church called “the Prophet” serves as Jesus’ spokesman on earth. The Prophet, along with two counselors, make up the First Presidency or the governing body of the Latter-Day Saints. All males with good standing are considered for the priesthood in the local congregation. Members are also required to donate 10% of their salaries to the Church with the exception of the Missionaries.
Sexual Abuse Cases, Settlements, and Coverups of the Latter-Day Saints Church
With a patriarchal system in place as well as an engrained structural reverence for leaders, the LDS Church proves to be a potent avenue for sexual abusers. A series of sexual abuse lawsuits against the Church has rocked its community in the past years. These cases include the following:
- In 2018, McKenna Denson accused Joseph Bishop, a former LDS Church mission president, of sexually assaulting her in 1984. According to Denson, she reported the incident to her local congregation’s bishop, Ron Leavitt, in 1987. Leavitt, however, did not believe the accusation, initiate an investigation, or report to the authorities. In August 2018, District Judge Dale A. Kimball dismissed most of the lawsuit save for the allegations of fraud.
- In 2014, two men filed a lawsuit against the Latter-Day Saints for their abuse that happened in 1986 through 1988. The plaintiffs alleged that they were abused after having been hired at a pineapple field in Maui, Hawaii, by the camp’s coordinator Brian Pickett. The lawsuit indicated that the abuse occurred both at the farm and the defendant’s home and that the Church’s leaders were aware of the abuse but did nothing.
- In 2001, the Church of the Latter-Day Saints paid a $3 million settlement to Jeremiah Scott for attempting to cover up for Franklin Curtis’ sexual violence. The lawsuit alleges that the church was aware of Curtis’ history of child sexual abuse and did not inform the family of the perpetrator’s history when he was housed in Scott’s home in the early 90s and had shared a double bed with then 11-year old Jeremiah.
The LDS Church maintains that it had settled purely out of “litigation economics” and that they anticipate more cases against Curtis, but believes that any such cases are “meritless.”
While these cases represent only a fraction of the lawsuits and settlements against the LDS, one thing they all have in common is the fact that the congregation strives to keep these abuses from the authorities and the public. A woman who reported being sexually abused by her father to the police was reprimanded by church leaders for involving secular law enforcement.
Another woman was excommunicated and denied baptism for shedding light on sexual violence cases perpetrated by Church leaders and members. The blatant exclusion of women from the church’s hierarchy fuels the gender disparity that favors men over women regardless of flagrant abuse of power.
Truth & Transparency Foundation
The Truth & Transparency Foundation, formerly known as MormonLeaks, identifies as a “nonprofit newsroom dedicated to religious accountability through impact journalism.” The organization started in 2016 when it first leaked a series of videos that showed the meetings of high-ranking LDS leaders as well as the Quorum of the Twelve, one of the church’s governing bodies where members are modeled after the Apostles and called as such.
The videos the Foundation initially leaked showed the leaders discussing the “homosexual agenda” and the subprime mortgages among others. In 2017, the Foundation published a document recording the instances of child sexual abuse between 1959 and 2017. The 316-page document compiled both confirmed and alleged sexual violence cases.
Whether you’re a guest or a staff, know that you’re entitled to explore your legal options following an assault or harassment while on the hotel’s premises. Our attorneys at America’s Consumer Lawyer are here to help you navigate your case, and provide a safe and understanding space for divulging intimate information.
Effects of Sexual Abuse on Mormon Church Victims
While sexual abuse victims share negative impacts of their experiences, victims and survivors abused by religious leaders share a common experience – spiritual damage. Being violated by a trusted figure resulted to confusion about the presence of God while others found God to be “cruel, hostile, angry, and filled with revenge.” In a study published in 1997, women victims of CSA reported having interpersonal relationship problems, stunted emotional maturity, depression, and low self-confidence.
These negative impacts result from the intersection of their abuse, the response of their authoritative figures toward their circumstances, and the rejection of their religious community. Shunning in the midst of sexual abuse allegations seems to be a consensus to the congregation as with multiple cases like Michael Jensen and Dave (last name of the offender redacted for the privacy of the victim).
What to Do if You Have Been Sexually Abused by a Leader or Member of the Mormon Church
If you or a loved one has been abused by a member of leaders of the LDS Church, it’s important to get medical attention. The responding physician will evaluate you and check for injuries. Generally, you should do the following:
- Go to a safe place.
- Contact someone you trust.
- Contact a rape crisis hotline in Illinois.
- Visit your local Emergency Department for possible injuries.
- Submit to a medical examination to collect evidence (also known as a rape kit).
- Contact the police to report the assault.
A typical treatment will include the following:
- Medical forensic services for injuries;
- Emergency contraceptives;
- Rape crisis counseling.
Victims and survivors of sexual abuse in the Mormon Church can find coping very challenging. This, however, shouldn’t deter you or anyone you know from legal restitution. While this can’t undo the trauma of the abuse, this will help cover the expenses essential for your recoveries like medical bills and loss of income.
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