When I was 15, one of my brothers friends forced me to touch them and do things that I never would have dreamed to do. I tried to run away but he grabbed me and forced me into his car. When I got home that night I covered my body with bleach because I felt…
I was sexually abused every week by my teenage brother from the age of 4 until 8. The week after my baptism I finally got the nerve to tell him no, and he stopped. I don’t remember struggling with the abuse until I started young women’s. I sat and listened to young women leaders tell…
I thought for a long time that I was alone in feeling that the interviews were damaging and shaming. This is the story of how my experience with Bishop interviews led to me leaving the LDS church and cutting all ties with my blood family. A bit of context. I am a female. Being raised…
When I was in high school, I was raped by someone I trusted. At the time, I couldn’t comprehend what happened to me. I felt dirty and guilty for being involved with sexual activity, even though it was not my choice. I went and talked to my bishop and explained that this young man had…
I was sexually abused by family members (aunts and cousins) and babysitters from my earliest memory (as a toddler). One such abusive event actually resulted in my drowning death but I was miraculously and gratefully revived. All of my abusers were “faithful” members of the LDS Church. I have also since learned that the abuse…
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…
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…
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 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 was 12. I lived in an all American Ward (My Dad was stationed in Germany in the US ARMY), they just built the Frankfurt Temple. I was so excited to do baptisms for the dead to make my Grandma in Utah so proud of me. I was interviewed by our Stake President for Temple…