The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)—formerly the Mormon Church—is facing justice after decades of sexual abuse amongst its leadership. Today, victims are bravely coming forward to bring their stories of sexual abuse to light.
For many, it’s too painful or difficult to relive the trauma of sexual abuse, but there is an important reason to file a claim: To protect other LDS youth.
Unless the guilty parties in question are held responsible, there is a huge risk for more children to experience sexual abuse. One victim of sexual abuse is already too many. Here are three ways that filing a claim today can protect the Mormon youth of tomorrow.
1. Reporting Mormon Church Abuse Holds The Organization Responsible
Bringing one abuser to justice is an admirable feat. But in an organization as vast as the LDS church, there is a pattern of abuse among the ranks of its leadership. That’s why filing a sexual abuse claim creates a ripple effect that can make a wider impact on LDS youth beyond just one branch or ward.
With so many allegations coming to light, every claim adds weight to the growing movement for victims’ justice. The end result is the entire LDS church answering to its members by creating new rules and guidelines to protect future generations from enduring this abuse.
Furthermore, holding people responsible for these criminal acts can often make way for new laws or bills. With expanded legal standing, individuals and organizations can better protect at-risk groups, like children.
2. Speaking Up is a Selfless Act of Bravery
Coming to terms with sexual abuse is an incredibly difficult process, but filing a claim is not a self-serving act. Instead, it’s a means of preventing other people from having to endure the same hardships.
Past victims of sexual abuse at the hands of the LDS church didn’t have the opportunity to name their abusers in a court of law, gain closure, or collect well-deserved compensation for the pain they endured. For these people, their childhoods were marred by trauma that they never got to resolve. But if you have an opportunity to speak up, you could prevent another instance of abuse from occurring in the first place.
It’s brave and selfless to take such a difficult step in the name of protecting other children in the future.
3. It Opens Doors to Difficult Conversations
For many families, discussing sexual abuse isn’t an easy topic to broach. But if a parent simply asked their child if anyone had ever made them feel unsafe, it could stop or prevent a painful outcome. Consider this: Filing a claim could be part of a larger movement that empowers people to face these situations head-on, instead of ignoring them for the sake of modesty.
You aren’t alone in your experience, and your claim will likely force much-needed change within the LDS church. When large organizations like the LDS church reckon with the atrocities that take place inside its doors, there is widespread discussion among leadership and members. The result? Some of the stigma that accompanies a taboo topic like sexual abuse starts to lift. The more commonplace these difficult conversations become, the less likely it is that these situations will be ignored in the future.
Take the First Step in Protecting LDS Youth
If you’ve been a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of the Mormon Church, contact us. We’ll provide you a completely free, confidential consultation.
We have experience representing more than 4,000 victims who have suffered abuse under the supervision of the Mormon Church, Catholic Church, and Boy Scouts of America. We’re here to advise you of your rights and to simplify the process of filing a claim.
