Church Handbook of Instruction
Handbook !: Stake Presidents and Bishops -Details procedure to call legal helpline, listed below, first before reporting abuse to law enforcement.
Video Instructing Bishops To Call Church Hotline First
This video was published by the Mormon Church in 1999 as a resource for Bishops. The video is meant to instruct Bishops on how to handle cases of sexual abuse that may come before them.
Instructional Video About Responding To Child Abuse In The Church
Protect The Child is an instructional video published in 2002
Church Attorney Protocol For Hotline Operations Dealing With Abuse
Working protocol memo shows church attorneys assessing risk and liability for the church with no assessment of victim's trauma.
Interview With Prior Bishop Regarding LDS Institutional Sexual Abuse
Mormon Mental Health Podcast Episode 132:
Prior Bishop shares his experience with the church “hotline” that is supposed to help in these situations. He is very clear about the expectations members should have (or not have) when it comes to the system that is currently in place. He also speaks about his own experience serving as a bishop and the types of training that were available, the guidance given when he himself was in a situation where people were reporting abuse, etc.Listeners can gain a clear understanding of the legalities involved and how the church is in of itself a legal entity and will act as such (whether one considers this ethical/moral or not). He states that the church tells parents that they are responsible for the care of their own children, even in a church building and that they are responsible for their own legal counsel. Therefore, make sure that as a victim or as a parent of a victim you are contacting appropriate authorities and resources and not rely on the church to be a player in solving these issues.
Prior Bishop shares his experience with the church “hotline” that is supposed to help in these situations. He is very clear about the expectations members should have (or not have) when it comes to the system that is currently in place. He also speaks about his own experience serving as a bishop and the types of training that were available, the guidance given when he himself was in a situation where people were reporting abuse, etc.Listeners can gain a clear understanding of the legalities involved and how the church is in of itself a legal entity and will act as such (whether one considers this ethical/moral or not). He states that the church tells parents that they are responsible for the care of their own children, even in a church building and that they are responsible for their own legal counsel. Therefore, make sure that as a victim or as a parent of a victim you are contacting appropriate authorities and resources and not rely on the church to be a player in solving these issues.
Prior Prosecutor Speaks On How Mormon Church Handles Sex Abuse Cases
Mormon Stories Podcast Episodes 618-619:
- The methods of child abusers (including within the LDS context),
- Matt Long's (Victims Rights Attorney) experience prosecuting (and defending) child/sex abusers in Arizona (many of whom are/were LDS),
- His interactions with LDS law firm Kirton | McConkie, and
- His reactions to the LDS Church’s recent media release wherein it claims that “no religious organization has done more” to prevent child abuse, and touts its child abuse approach as “the gold standard” amongst all churches.
Account From Attorney On Bringing Sexual Abuse Claims Against LDS Church
A Thoughtful Faith Podcast: 258
US attorney who has spent the last two decades representing victims of sexual abuse. His introduction to the LDS Church and their lawyers was when he represented Jeremiah Scott who was sexually abused by a serial pedophile Frank Curtis. His work, in this case, appears in Lisa Davis’ legal thriller, ‘The Sins of Brother Curtis.’ This case has lead to a practice in which he has come to represent over 150 Mormon sexual abuse victims bringing him face to face with the Mormon law machine time and time again.
US attorney who has spent the last two decades representing victims of sexual abuse. His introduction to the LDS Church and their lawyers was when he represented Jeremiah Scott who was sexually abused by a serial pedophile Frank Curtis. His work, in this case, appears in Lisa Davis’ legal thriller, ‘The Sins of Brother Curtis.’ This case has lead to a practice in which he has come to represent over 150 Mormon sexual abuse victims bringing him face to face with the Mormon law machine time and time again.
Leaked Document From LDS Legal Team, Kirton McKonkie, Notes Sex Abuse Cases
Published on MormonLeaks, document shows active sex abuse cases implicating the Mormon Church.
