It wasn’t the interviews so much as a combination of the interviews with the fire-and-brimstone chastity lessons. Masturbation was described as an incredibly selfish and shameful act. Then we got the For The Strength of Youth pamphlet which called sexual sins “next to murder”. Then came the interviews asking about masturbation and the copy of…
***Warning you may find the post below controversial, however please understand that “it doesn’t impact you until it impacts you, or someone you know personally.”*** Just recently as I was traveling with my husband he showed me an article from Fox 13 about inappropriate Bishops interviews. http://fox13now.com/2017/12/01/former-lds-bishop-calls-for-church-leaders-to-stop-interviewing-teens-about-sexual-practices As I read the article and the comments…
I was shamed continuously because i was honest with them – then i learned to lie.
My father was both a Bishop and a Stake President for almost my entire childhood. Both of my parents were very well known and respected in our small Mormon community. Nobody outside of our family knew the extreme psychological, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse that was happening behind our perfect facade. I wonder how many…
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…
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…
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.…