These are personal accounts of the negative consequences that inappropriate interviews have had on people.
When I was 23 I was a recent BYU grad, still living in BYU housing (thus in a BYU ward), and in graduate school (not BYU). I also had a boyfriend—my first really serious boyfriend. One time we were making out and he pulled down my underwear and penetrated me with his finger. I didn’t…
I remember sitting in my bishops office at the age of 16. I had lost my virginity to my high school sweetheart. We decided to stop having sex so that we could try to be temple worthy because we thought we wanted to get married one day. My bishop didn’t ask me any sexually explicit…
I admitted to premarital sex as a teenage girl. I did this willingly because I was told it was the right thing to do and I believed it. The whole process was quite traumatizing, but I had already been shamed enough to have suicidal ideation prior to admitting to the sin in the interview. He…
When I was 15 I had an almost 18 year-old boyfriend. He tried to force things on me and sometimes had the upper hand He tried to go too far and almost did, he broke up with when I told him I wanted to wait. I was devastated. Shortly after, I had to have my…
I was 14 when I moved into a new ward. I was as innocent as they come. My bishop called me in for an annual birthday interview. The topic of oral sex was brought up. It wasn’t an add on question from the law of chastity. It seemed totally random. I had no idea what…
During one of my worthiness interviews while I was a teenager, my bishop informed my that my best friend and I were too close, and that people were talking. He proceeded to drill me for an hour about what we did when we were alone. Did we hold hands, had we kissed, had we ever…
My daughter at age 12 was being interviewed alone in the bishops office and asked if she masturbates and asked if she kisses girls. (An adult male asked my 12 year old daughter these questions!!!) very inappropriate. My sons were also asked these same questions.
I grew up in the same ward as a lot of my Facebook friends. We all had the same Bishops and ward leaders and I am so grateful to those that have shared their stories. At age 11, I was in a room alone with the First Counselor for a worthiness interview. I was asked…
The following is my personal story of childhood abuse and how church leadership concealed and diminished its significance. It is long. I come from a large Mormon family. I was born-in-the-covenant and raised “knowing” that it was all true. There was no choice in attending church, seminary, or serving a mission. Those choices were made…
My stepfather sexually abused my sisters and I when we were younger. I hid the fact, until 5 years later. I wanted to heal from the abuse, and for the first time told my YSA bishop about what happened. He was very supportive and helpful in my recovery. However, one day my parents and I…