#490 Name Hidden. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Other: Loss of will to live and dying of a terminal illness.

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…

#487 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Other: Eating Disorders

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…

#485 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9. Other: Gaslighting; feeling like I’m crazy because I’m told my abuse was a sin and not abuse

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…

#483 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

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…

#482 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,6,7,8. Other: Confusion. unrelenting, unresolvable, baffling, confusion.

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…

#481 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

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…

#480 Name Withheld. CS: 1,2,3,4,5,7,8

I know this petition is aimed at ending one-on-one interviews with children, but these interviews can be damaging to adults as well. I’d like to see the practice changed altogether. No child should be subjected to one-on-one interviews period, and no one – child or adult – should feel the religious pressure to sit through…

#478 Vilate V. CS: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10

When I was a sophomore in high school I joined the Mormon church. I had been a member for 6 months when I joined a club at school, and was elected to State Office. For a year and a half I traveled around the state and country with the other state officers and our chaperone/advisor.…

#477 Name Hidden. CS: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7. Other: Victim blaming

At age 13, I was sexually abused by a school teacher (LDS). When I finally worked up the courage to talk to my Bishop, he told me that I had jeopardized the temple marriage and celestial standing of this man, but I could be forgiven. He made suggestions like take cold showers and sleep with…