I know you are going through a tough time right now Sam, so I wanted to tell you how you have helped my little family in a way that wouldn’t risk doxing ourselves.
At the age of 14, my wife was raped. She did not go to the police, but instead went to her parents. Her parents, being taught to do so in church, immediately went to their bishop for guidance. The bishop told them not to go to the police, and to send my wife his way. When she went to the bishop, the bishop told her not to ever tell anyone, and that she needed to repent for her part in what happened.
My wife was, at a young age, forced to recount all of her trauma to her bishop, who only insisted that she needed to repent for what he claimed was her fault.
Just thinking of it now still makes my blood boil.
Her parents trusted the bishop, they agreed with the bishop that she needed to repent and that it was her fault. And that is how things stayed.
As it turned out, the boy who raped my wife was related to the bishop, a nephew in law. He had not been trained to do the right thing, he did not have my wife’s interests at heart, and although I am not religious, I don’t think any God was guiding his decision.
I tell you this, because you standing up for the children, it gave us so much hope. It really helped us understand that there are good people who care, you. We are so grateful for everything you have done, and we hope that it will have made a difference in the lives of children in the future, if only by bringing the issue to the minds of any man who might be so awfully tempted to be selfish.
Thank you Sam. We love and support you, and no matter what the church does or says, you are a great man. If there is a God, he WILL hold you in only the highest esteem. Thank you for everything you have done.