I felt uncomfortable just being in the presence of Bishop _____. Knowing what he was going to ask me made my heart race with dread. Every 6 months he would pull me into his office and shut the window-less door behind me. Then he would proceed to grill me. “When was the last time you…
I have been blessed with having experienced two car accidents. The first one was the start of me leaving the church and the second was the catalyst for me returning. Why I mention them is I have subsequent memory problems, which is undoubtedly a blessing. I was raped at the age of 14. I had…
As a child I suffered years and years of sexual abuse. It started when I was barely older than a toddler and so, I didn’t even realize that what was happening was wrong until I was about to enter Young Women. Once I started attending YW I realized the full extent of what had happened…
As a young child, I overheard whispered conversations between my mom and her younger sisters at family reunions. As soon as I or my grandparents drew nearby, the subject would change….Usually to something like “Oh, do you want a popsicle? I think we should get out popsicles for all the kids!” I do remember hearing…
After reading many of the stories here, I find myself fortunate, and I realize that it could have been so much worse. But the shame that I felt surrounding topics of sexuality were still potent. I was only 11 or 12 when I learned about the church’s stance on masturbation. I learned it in the…
When I was in High School I fooled around with a guy in my ward. Stuff had happened a bunch of times and I knew I needed to talk to my bishop about it. I set up the appointment and went in. He asked me what had happened. I told him. He wanted more detail.…
Sexual abuse needs to be reported not only about what’s going on behind closed doors in the bishops office but also abuse that’s reported “to” bishops. I was sexually molested from age 6 to 13 suffered at the hands of my uncle. I’m nauseous just thinking about it. At 16, I decided to tell my…
When I was 17 years old, I went to my bishop to repent for having sex with my boyfriend. My bishop asked for explicit details about what I had actually done, and whether or not I had done those things before. I told him. I didn’t know I had a choice. I didn’t realize how…
I’m deeply saddened reading these stories. Although mine isn’t on the severity scale as some of those on here, I think the church needs to know that this happens everywhere. They are not one in a million. This shame happens to EVERY child in EVERY congregation in our church. In some degree. Just putting a…
There is so much. I can not write it all. I was beaten for masturbating. I was snuck up on if my bedroom door was closed or in the shower to “catch me in the act” so I could be beaten again if caught masturbating. I was raped by a guy I had gone on…