I grew up in a very active LDS home. My father was my bishop twice when I was young. I loved all my bishops. However, whenever my birthday came up, I dreaded the interview. I had been sexually molested as a child by a neighborhood boy, so being alone with a man filled me with horrible anxiety. I always tried to leave the interview as quickly as possible.
My parents were very vocal about sexual purity. When I had my first kiss at 16, my mother made me feel very guilty about it. Any sexual activity I did with my boyfriend, even kissing or cuddling made me feel guilty. I felt like i had to go into my bishop to confess the smallest things. He asked me to point to the areas of my body where i had been touched. He asked me to give more details than what i was comfortable with. He took me off the sacrament for kissing passionately. I always felt guilty. I was always ashamed of myself. It added to the guilt I had carried with me since I was molested as a child.
Before my mission, my stake president had me re-confess everything I had done. I was filled with that shame and guilt that consumed me without warning. It followed me through the MTC where purity and worthiness are preached constantly.
It has affected my relationship with my spouse. I have had to do a lot of healing and have had to reshape my paradigms. I am thankful for my patient husband who has been with me, helping me. I am thankful for Sam Young. My children will never have to go through what I did. They will never be alone with the bishop. They will not have to battle the shame that comes about from these interviews.