Upon my son’s cancer diagnosis at age 15 he said he did not want to live. He said he was a bad person. He then recounted the many times his bishop and seminary teacher had talked to him about “touching himself” over the previous 3 1/2 years. I was devastated and heart broken to know…
Hi my name is Val. I am 61 years old, been married for 39 years and the father of 5 sons. I am a victim of sexual abuse and the shame that was instilled in me at 17 by my bishop. My abuse started when I was around 5 years of age. I was sexually…
I was sixteen when I was called into the Bishop’s office – I didn’t know why. You see, I grew up in a “non-mormon” home with an agnostic dad until my parents got divorced – then my mom married a mormon man who insisted we all become mormon. I never fully realized what all this…
As a child I experienced repeated sexual abuse. I knew that I didn’t like what was happening to me, but I didn’t know exactly what it was and I didn’t want to talk about it with anyone. Due to my experiences I became sexualized in my early childhood and I began to explore this new…
Hello, I am a 35 year old man. Gender, Sex, and Sexuality are important. They are as much a part of us as our arms and legs, heart, lungs, brain, and senses. There is a huge focus on the importance of chastity and fidelity in the LDS churches, which also speaks to the importance they…
I was sexually abused as a child and as a teen. At my baptism interview, I remember feeling shame for the abuse, and this continued well into adulthood. After telling my Bishop that I was sexually abused as a teen, I had to go through the repentance process, including not taking the sacrament, while my…
I was sexually assaulted by a brother when I was 9 years old. I froze, didn’t know what was happening and was threatened that if I ever told it would break up my family and it would be my fault. As I turned 12, I began having the standard’s night lessons on chastity and morality.…
I was sexually assaulted as a youth. The church teachings of no sexual relations before marriage caused me years of guilt and shame. At the time my good bishop told me it was not my fault, I was still considered a “virgin,” never look back and let it go. I did that as best as…
I grew up in the 70’s. My dad is mentally ill –probably a mix of Asperger’s (back when there was that), Bipolar, OCD, and PTSD. He’s never been professionally diagnosed. His symptoms, however are not that complicated. –Not that different from a 2-3 yo with sensory overload or impossible to manage frustration or confusion. –only…
My first experience of sexual abuse was from a member of my bishopric when I was ten. He practiced ritualistic abuse using scriptures, twisted covenants, and his leadership position to sexually abuse and torture me for 9 months, including at least one instance in our church building. He convinced me that we do not share…