When I was 15, I went to confession with my LDS bishop in his office at the church. 😞 I told the Bishop I needed to confession to a hot and heavy make-out session with an LDS boy. The bishop then asked for the play-by-play (intense details about the acts, who did what, did I like it and did it make me tingle, and if so, where). The only detail he didn’t ask was who the boy was.
Sadly, I heard his zipper and was well aware that both of his hands were under his desk while he kept asking more and more ridiculously detailed questions. I felt very uncomfortable. My gut was screaming not to shake his hand when the interview was over, but I did. I went home and threw up.
This is not the only or the worst time a bishop abused his power, or abused me.
I was taught to never say ‘No’ to a Bishop, that the bishop was acting for Jesus in that chair, as my judge in Israel.
Today I am 46 years old and it is still completely acceptable in the Mormon church for a Mormon Bishop to meet behind closed doors with a minor child. Most Bishops are good men, doing the best they can, but NOT ALL OF THEM, so please help us protect ALL children. It’s totally wrong if one more child gets hurt because of the continued practice of an adult male meeting / interviewing minor children alone, behind closed doors.
This needs to stop!!! I’m not alone in my story… there are thousands who grew up in the Mormon church sharing their stories of abuse. We are being brave (this is very, very difficult for me) to help save children.
To my Mormon friends… Please be brave and tell your Bishop’s and stake presidents that you don’t think one on one interviews behind closed doors are acceptable.
As a side note, when my girls, who are now in their twenties, were teenagers, I told their Bishop that he did not have my permission to meet with my daughters in his office or behind closed doors. His initial reaction was shock and defense, but after we discussed it and I let him know that I was not comfortable with it, and I would make my home available and be very accommodating. That was the only option for him to interview my daughters.
From that day forward all interviews for my daughters with adult LDS leadership were held in my living room and we gave them a bit of privacy. It’s not impossible to protect children.