To better understand the systemic problem of sex abuse in the LDS Church, listen to the interview with Dr. Gina Convin and “Tim Kosnoff, a 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 paedophile 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.”
To summarize some of his concerns:
The LDS Church refuses to adopt policies that protect women and children from ecclesiastical sexual abuse. It also encourages the adoption of laws that protect Church leaders from testifying against perpetrators, using the pretense of privileged communication for everything bishops hear.
The LDS Church attorneys spend millions of dollars to silence victims and to protect perpetrators. Most law firms lack the money and time to take on a client who seek legal help after being sexually abused by a LDS ecclesiastical or member perpetrator.
The Utah legal system which is predominantly LDS tends to rule in behalf of the Church. Judges who rule in favor of plaintiffs are in danger of losing their jobs, so even non-LDS judges are afraid to rule in favor of victims and often send the cases to the Utah Supreme Court, which often rules in favor of the LDS Church.
LDS juries also tend to rule against victims because they cannot believe that their Church could support a perpetrator. Since members are taught that all leaders are called by God, they cannot believe that some trusted leaders are perpetrators.
Utah attorneys hesitate to take on a case for an LDS victim of sexual ecclesiastical abuse because they fear that their practice will be injured. In addition, they also realize that they will likely lose the case or that it will cost them millions of dollars and years of work to fight the LDS Church the legal system.
Lawyers who take on cases involving LDS ecclesiastical sexual abuse must pick their cases carefully and select jurisdictions where the judges and juries are more likely to be fair-minded.
The Mormon Church is consistently covering up sexual abuse that is perpetrated upon its innocent children by men in positions of trust and authority in the Church. Because the Church teaches its members that every bishop is called by God, this practice is unlikely to change unless many members speak up, and most are afraid to do so for fear of Church reprisal.
The LDS Church has knowingly adopted practices that destroy or attempt to destroy victims of sexual abuse.
This must stop.
Now.
For a full discussion on this topic, listen to this fascinating A Thoughtful Faith podcast: