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…
I was asked specifically at 13 if I masturbate (had never heard the term before), and if I watched pornography (had heard the word, but didn’t know what it meant. Bishop got to explain them to me… Now because of his explanation, I learned I had been masturbating for 7 years (discovered it on my…
My story begins at 2 or 3 years old when I was molested multiple times by/with the permission of a woman in her home during “daycare”. My mother, instead of reporting the incident to police, chose to report it to her bishop. I was examined by a doctor and he found that my hymen had…
My name is Julie. At the time of this writing I am 34 years old. I was born and raised in Utah within the Mormon church. I come from a multi-generational family with deep roots in Mormonism. Most of my family joined at the very beginnings of the church under Joseph Smith or Brigham Young.…
***Sam, thank you for your hard work, selfless service, dedication to protect our children. I don’t know if this counts but I believe my bishop could have stopped the sexual abuse I endured from a brother and two cousins. My abuse was the span of age 4-10. My baptism interview is where I thought I…
Dear Mr. Young, March 22, 2018 I only recently discovered your work yesterday—your website, and stories of LDS children abused by ecclesiastical interviews. I glanced briefly at the headers for some of the stories on your web site, and knew I had to submit a story. I apologize for the length of the narrative, but…
I am a very active member of the LDS church. I served as a young women’s leader. During the time I served, a couple of the young women I had stewardship over, had messed up but went into Bishop ______ to clear up their mistakes. These beautiful young women went in willingly and sought forgiveness.…
I converted to the church at the impressionable age of 16. My parents did not go to the church and they had no knowledge of what was asked during bishop interviews. And I never told them. If I had, they’d probably make me leave the church, and at the time, I thought the church was…
When I was 9 years old, I was molested by a boy who lived in my neighborhood. I told my parents right after it happened. My parents got the boy and parents involved. Asked for my story, then the boys side. The boy’s parents asked for the cops not to get involved. (The boy was…