Mormons claim their teachings are about "morality" (Tad Callister, I'm lookin' at your puckered mug -- http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_9739.shtml), but there have been so many news stories lately that seem to indicate that many Mormons are incapable of conducting themselves like decent human beings, even with these "godly" lessons. No wonder so many Mormon men are getting sued for assault... they are being taught that they are not accountable for their thoughts and actions. Furthermore, many of these men are in leadership positions within the church that gives them access to children behind closed doors in the form of 'worthiness interviews' in which they ask questions of a sexual nature.

How about putting together a consolidated list of news stories where Mormons are accused of sexual abuse or failure to report abuse?
When TBMs claim that their religion "does so much good", you can just show them this list and say, "Yeah, by their fruits shall ye know them!"

----------------------------------
Here are a few that I am already aware of --

Elizabeth Smart: a Mormon's Mormon ordeal.. Latter-day Saints doctrine that enabled her abuse
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/nov/16/elizabeth-smart-brian-mitchell-utah

Child Abuse Cover-Up Costs Mormon Church $3 Million - at least 20 other victims identified
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/child-abuse-cover-up-costs-mormon-church-3-million-71939217.html

Mormon Seminary Teacher Found Guilty in Sexual Abuse Trial
http://www.3news.co.nz/Unrest-over-sentence-for-Mormon-sex-offender/tabid/423/articleID/321384/Default.aspx#.UooNy8TwljW

Spokane man sues Boy Scouts and LDS church in Idaho
http://www.krem.com/news/-Spokane-man-sues-Boy-Scouts-and-LDS-church-in-Idaho-212810301.html

Scout's Honor (award-winning investigative series about how the LDS church and its Idaho Falls scouting program covered up for the sexual molestation of Scouts by a Mormon pedophile)
http://www.postregister.com/scouts_honor/part1.php

TBM charged with sexual assault of a student
http://www.iheartmyteacher.org/index.php?threads/tanner-cervo-abbotsford-british-columbia-canada-charged-april-2013.1731/

Daughter, 16, claims she had to 'pay' her father with sex to visit friends or take part in church events since she was NINE
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2350013/Daughter-16-claims-pay-father-sex-visit-friends-church-events-NINE.html

Mormon missionary turns himself in for sexual abuse
http://www.currentargus.com/ci_23467396/carlsbad-police-mormon-missionary-turns-himself-sexual-abuse

Former bishop pleads guilty to sexually abusing children while bishop
http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/menifee/menifee-headlines/20131113-menifee-ex-mormon-bishop-admits-sex-crimes-with-teen-church-members.ece

Judge weighing whether Mormon bishop should stand trial for failure to report abuse
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705396310/Judge-weighing-whether-Mormon-bishop-should-stand-trial-for-failure-to-report-abuse.html?s_cid=rss-30
Quote: "During an interview with Tucker, the girl said Moon told her she didn't need to contact police, should consider what her abuser was going through and also consider the potential harm her allegations could cause. She also said the bishop told her she should re-evaluate the way she dresses."

Church abuse victims told to keep quiet, forgive and forget
http://www.kpho.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6498601#.TtVjoQ30Otg.facebook

Girl abused by Mormon missionary in Ireland
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Mormon-Church-sued-in-Dublins-High-Court-by-abuse-victim-of-US-missionary-134741433.html

Sunday school teacher in Vancouver accused of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl at their church
http://www.kptv.com/story/16113641/vancouver-sunday-school-teacher-accused-of-sexually-abusing-girl

Heber Charity Co-Founder Imprisoned for Sexually Abusing Daughters
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1070&sid=17927418&title=heber-charity-co-founder-sent-to-prison-for-sexually-abusing-daughters

Actual abuse of 5 Browns daughters went far beyond charges
http://m.sltrib.com/sltrib/mobile/52502384-183/brown-abuse-daughters-family.html.csp

Lawsuit filed against church for coverup of sex abuse of 12 children over 5 years
http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/600380/Lawsuit-filed-
Quote: “The suit also alleges that the church has continued its cover up... instruct witnesses not to talk with attorneys representing the children suing the church... tried to intimidate the families of the children suing the church and has allegedly directed fellow church members to try to convince them to abandon their claims "lest they run afoul of church teachings regarding forgiveness,"...

LDS camp coordinator accused of molestation in lawsuit
http://www.standard.net/stories/2014/01/23/lds-camp-coordinator-charged-molestation

--------------------------------------------------
Not case-specific, but commentaries on LDS culture contributing to the problem:
The Growing Mormon Sex Abuse Scandal
http://mormonmatters.org/2009/09/23/the-growing-mormon-sex-abuse-scandal/

Secret shame: Utah's sex offenders and their victims (Utah’s “unprecedented high makeup of inmates with sex crimes”)
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/695261701/Secret-shame-Utahs-sex-offenders-and-their-victims.html?pg=all

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has a unique culture that provides a haven for sexual abusers.
http://kosnoff.com/latterdaysaints.php

Some specific LDS cases that this law firm has prosecuted and won:
http://www.kellyclarkattorney.com/mormon-sexual-abuse-lawyer/
---------------------------------------------------------
[Please feel free to post any other links you have and I will add to the list - it's best if the link mentions a direct LDS connection, of course.]

[THANK YOU to Satangotme for help with multiple links!]



Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2014 07:09PM by AngelCowgirl.

"Know them by the fruits of their labor." (or whatever that quote actually says.)

Great list here.

I had no idea there were so many cases. Buyer Beware. Guard your kids!
Thanks for taking the time to compile this list.

that is a great thread.

Today, a couple miles from my house, a 9 year old was kidnapped and killed. It is so sad. I can't even imagine what the parents must go through. (i have a 10 and 5 year old).

And then I think of all these TBMs that must think how lucky they are to have the "truth" and the gospel so they're protected from "the WORLD".

The worst is that TBM would question a child saying "the bishop, a priesthood holder, can never do that" and they put even more shame in those fragile souls that have just been molested. The worst is the prophet, Kimball I think, who says (officially or not) that if you don't struggle when you're being raped, you'd better die".... these people are just as sick as the guy who abducted this poor child this morning a couple miles from my house.

I wish I had more links. I found this one but I don't know if it's on your list

Lawsuit filed against church for coverup of sex abuse
http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/600380/Lawsuit-filed-

Thank you for the link - I have added it to the list and credited you for your help (at the bottom).

Very good references, Angel!

So...young men, even pure ones, cannot control themselves, and it's the women's faults.

Something tells me this justification will extend to Joseph Smith's daliances. Apparently, the plural wives made Joseph do it.

You can add a serial pedophile to this list in my home ward. He's been charged 3 times and excommunicated 3 times as well. Yet his wife still sticks by him. Sickening.

http://www.sor.state.co.us/?SOR=offender.detail&%20zip&county&category=MO&unincorperated&city&street&fname&lname&sort=NAM&page=2&eml&id=X002449127

He was the 2nd counselor for years and if memory serves me correctly, a child psychologist.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2014 01:59PM by Itzpapalotl.

And those are just a few that got caught. Imagine what's going on behind closed doors that nobody but victim and perp know about.

.


http://mollymuses.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/rape-apology-and-joseph-smith/

@madalice that's true.
http://kosnoff.com/latterdaysaints.php

@AngelCowgirl found this
LDS camp coordinator accused of molestation in lawsuit
http://www.standard.net/stories/2014/01/23/lds-camp-coordinator-charged-molestation

Thank you again... I am really trying to not throw up right now. This is so, so depressing.

I'm sure there are much miore.

I just did a search on lds lawyers and molestations. I remember reading about a lawyer who stop defending these cases for the church. he was too disgusted.

but you can search for "lds and sexual abuse cases" "lds and molestation cases" "law and rape molestation lds church" "mormon molestation case" etc.... you'll find a ton of links I'm sure

I can't stomach it. This hits a bit close to home for me. When I was young, I was molested by a teenager twice my age. He was not LDS, but my parents took me to the bishop when they found out, and the bishop grilled me in great detail to make sure I had not "encouraged" or "enjoyed" the experience. Why these men feel they have any credentials to counsel is beyond me.

this is horrible.

The problem is that bishops think they know everything and they can ask you any question they want because they think they are "inspired". They have no training except for enforcing laws of the LDS church.

They have absolutely 0 training in dealing with people. In the manual for bishops and stake presidents, it's all about moeny and policies, that's it, nothing about people, which you would think, should be the number 1 concern, but not for the lds church.... and TBMs don't find that alarming, I really don't get it.

thanks for this cowgirl. This is baffling me.

I've found this
http://mormonstories.org/advice-for-struggling/

and this ppt here
http://mormonstories.org/253-the-lds-church-and-mental-health-with-dr-david-christian/

nothing to do with rape but I advise every hurt ex-mo (including me) to read this. This helped me to go from ANGER (stage 2 of the grief process) to ACCEPTANCE (stage 5 of the grieving process)

You can also find stories like
Top 10 Mormon Mental Health Issues
http://mormonstories.org/top-10-mormon-mental-health-issues/

How about this news article from 2003:
90% of Provo rapes not reported to police
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/515039389/90-of-Provo-rapes-not-reported-to-police.html

and this one from 2005:
Rape rate a huge danger to Utahns
http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2935199

Unfortunately, I have found many more links to add but the ability to edit my original post has expired. I will eventually post as a new topic once I think I am done updating... but for now, I just had to include this one:

Former LDS Church General Authority George P. Lee Is Accused of Sex Abuse (1993)
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/302569/EXPELLED-CHURCH-LEADER-IS-ACCUSED-OF-SEX-ABUSE.html?pg=all
He pleaded guilty, and was booked in 2007 for not registering as sex offender:
http://archive.sltrib.com/printfriendly.php?id=6504464&itype=ngpsid

This is old but my parents used to talk like our old Stake President, who had 12 kids, was going to be the next prophet and was such a super spiritual guy with such a super spiritual family. This is his oldest son:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/21722/EX-BOY-SCOUT-LEADER-FACES-ARRAIGNMENT.html?pg=all

Thank you for the link, NormaRae. I have added it to my master list.

you should send this to mormonthink

I do have one thing to say here... I was sexually assaulted by a boyfriend when I was 16 and ended up telling my bishop about it in one of those interviews about a year later- which led to me telling my parents about it.

I have no idea what happened after that or how all the pieces fell together. I do remember that he didn't ask me a lot of questions about it- but soon afterwards my father found a way to get me some free counseling at a local YWCA. He also bought me my first car a week after I told him about it, which gave me my independence & freedom. I don't know if that Bishop had anything to do with connecting the dots to the counseling or not, but I never had another interview with him and that was the beginning of my inactivity. I was allowed to work on Sundays after that. I had several indisrections after that event and never felt an ounce of guilt after... even though I prayed to try and get some guilt when reading that horrid book Miracle of Forgiveness.


My BFF, who also had a steady boyfriend & trouble with 'morality' was questioned and received severe punishment for her indiscretions--- which seemed odd to me at the time. I got a free pass when I thought I was supposed to feel so guilty and she was punished to the full extent of the mormon law.

I guess my point is that I don't know if the bishop did right by me & by her and did what he thought he should have in both situations or what. I'd like to imagine he did. But he was a dentist, so what training did he have to cope with the emotions of two 16 year old girls in that kind of situation?? That is simply ridiculous and one of the major reasons I could never let my kids be raised in the church. He had no training to deal with date rape or with my friend and her feelings of guilt from exeriencing her first time with a boy that she really loved.

I think it's wrong to make young people feel ashamed for experiencing love with someone they truly care about, date for 2 years, and finally consumate a relationship with, after so much dating and romance. It breaks my heart.

No question the teachings lead to rape culture and rape apology. When I had finally (and fortunately) succeeded in peeling off a TBM aquaintance I barely knew who had jumped on me out of the blue in the midst of some innocuous small talk, I asked him WTH he was thinking. Instead of apologizing, he looked at me like I had three heads and lectured me on the form-fitting nature of my fairly modest, full-coverage tank top and the "differences" between men and women (the man's role being to behave as he did and the woman's to expect and contain such behavior).

Modern society in general still promotes a rape culture. This was just on National Public Radio's program,"Tell Me More" this morning.

"A Massachusetts court ruled that upskirting, which is basically taking a secret photo under a woman's dress, is not illegal."

They panel also discussed the continuing problem of "comedic bigotry".

http://www.npr.org/2014/03/06/286822327/when-do-tweets-cross-the-line

Perhaps there is hope! In the wake of the judge's ruling, the Massachusetts legislators did the right thing!

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/massachusetts-oks-bill-outlawing-upskirt-photos-22808219



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2014 09:29PM by polly.

In the OP, there is a link to an article in the Daily Mail. The Daily Mail is a known UK tabloid. That's like quoting the National Enquirer as a legitimate source. Seriously, that Daily Mail story is most likely made up.

Considering how many legitimate links there are in this thread, I suggest deleting anything that is sourced back to the Daily Mail. You do not want to dilute the power of a list like this with bullshit "news" articles. Let the legitimate ones stand for themselves and weed out the made-up stuff, eh?

I wasn't aware of the Daily Mail's status, so I appreciate being given a heads-up. I definitely want everything here to be as truthful as possible.

The story is legit (there's actually a link in the Daily Mail article to the Salt Lake Tribune, which is the one I should have linked in the first place but I was in a hurry). I will update the link on any future postings of this list:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56518755-78/friend-wrote-daughter-girl.html.csp

I eventually hope to find an updated article that mentions the outcome of the case.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2014 10:17AM by AngelCowgirl.