Here is a purportedly leaked document appearing to detail a history of instances of child sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by members of the Church, and insights into how the Church dealt with them. Not for the feint hearted.
Because the membership of the Church consists of people who are imperfect (most of whom are trying to improve), there is no perfect or flawless system; but the Church works tirelessly to prevent abuse and protect children, and constantly strives to improve in these areas. We are unaware of any organization that does more than the Church to stop and prevent abuse.
*You should note that this is not the sum total of the issue - this is only information about cases that got into the public domain.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Aug 16, 2017 5:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
If this story isn't on the document, it sure as hell should be. This is Robert Pitsor. He posted here for a very brief time, I had an opportunity to interact with him.
I am slightly acquainted with one of the cases involving LaVar Withers from Rexburg. An accompanying newspaper article show how victims were obstructed and stone-walled. I recall talking to people from Rexburg that said things like "oh, it couldn't be that bad" and "they're over-reacting, Dr. Withers is a good man." The Stake President was not helpful. It's been 20 years, but it was tragic.
deacon blues wrote:I am slightly acquainted with one of the cases involving LaVar Withers from Rexburg. An accompanying newspaper article show how victims were obstructed and stone-walled. I recall talking to people from Rexburg that said things like "oh, it couldn't be that bad" and "they're over-reacting, Dr. Withers is a good man." The Stake President was not helpful. It's been 20 years, but it was tragic.
Relative to the size of the institutions, I would suggest that the covering up of child sex abuse within the LDS Church is as bad and as extensive as it was in the Catholic Church. What a shame The Salt Lake Tribune is not The Boston Globe.
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
He has about 7 pages devoted to him in the abuse document from MormonLeaks. Please read what he did in the document. He is a horrible predator and the church knew about it. This is my first hand story on what happened in my New Jersey ward.
Hanson moved into the ward with his wife and was almost immediately put in the young men's presidency and put in charge of the deacons and I think scouts as well. The ward was very small with few teenage boys and my brother was basically the entire deacons quorum. I was a priest at the time.
Not long after Hanson moved in, he was assigned to home teach an inactive family in the ward and he seemed to really connect with them and especially the 12 year old son. When they started coming back to church the ward was overjoyed by a family returning to the fold. The father of the family did not return and most of the ward was happy that this 12 year old boy had a good priesthood holder befriending him. I was only 16 and definitely felt uncomfortable about seeing the relationship but brushed it off since no adults seemed to care.
Hanson and the boy seemed to be inseparable and he often brought the boy to church when the rest of the family did not go. Since the boy was 12, he and my brother were alone in the deacons quorum and even went on deacon's quorums camping trips with just Hanson, the boy, and my brother.
I recall a Friday night when my family went to dinner at a local restaurant and as we were walking in, Hanson and the boy were walking out hand-in-hand. When they saw us, Hanson dropped the boy's hand and greeted us nervously. I recall the boy looking apprehensive with maybe a touch of fear. After we parted, my parents made some comment about how good it was that the boy had a strong role-model taking interest in his life. 16 year old me thought it was super creepy but did not say anything because no adults seemed to worry.
My brother formed a good friendship with the boy and was often alone with him and Hanson. I do not recall any time when my brother was alone with Hanson, but it may have happened.
Then the crap hit the fan and Hanson got caught molesting the boy. When it first came out, the reaction was kinda sympathetic in the vain of "poor guy developed such a bond with the boy and let temptation confuse him." It was then revealed that he had done this many times before and people in the ward were too in shock to know what to do. Mostly people were trying to calm their our guilt by saying "there were no warning signs" or "he was really good at hiding it" but I knew that there were many red flags and I was only 16. An adult with more life experience should have seen this from a mile away.
The Sunday after everything was reveled, the family of the boy came to church for the last time. They were just looking for some love and compassion from the church that they had been enjoying again. They received a cold shoulder and judgmental stares. Most of the ward felt guilty for not seeing the warning signs and could not face the family because of the shame. Of course there were some who blamed the victim but they were a very small minority. The family did not get the love and compassion that truly emphatic friends should have given them. At the time, my brother said he was never abused but I have my doubts that nothing happened. It was definitely nothing like the abuse the boy received but I think something happened that my brother refuses to talk about.
Hanson's abuse started in 1986 and many church leaders knew about it and still allowed him to be in charge of children. Luckily this was the last straw and Hanson has been in prison since 2000.
Edit: In case you do not read the document. Hanson was know to church authorities about his abuse since he was originally convicted (with a slap on the wrist) in 1987. He then spent the next 13 years moving from state to state getting callings in the young mens organization. He left victims in every ward he attended but was still given direct contact with children. The boy I spoke about above sued TSCC in 2006 but I do not know what came of it
You think that's bad, right? From the document:
LDS LaVar Withers
"Over 125 women and children (some as young as 13 years old) came forward to the Rape Crisis Response Center to tell of his abuse over a thirty year period. Numerous women had told their Bishops of his abuse through the years." “some victims have alleged that Mormon Church officials ignored their pleas for help or actually discouraged them from pursuing charges against the doctor.”
I wonder how hard the hamsters in a Mormon apologist's mind have to spin the wheel in order to quiet the cog dis down a bit?
- Doc
In the face of madness, rationality has no power - Xiao Wang, US historiographer, 2287 AD.
Every record...falsified, every book rewritten...every statue...has been renamed or torn down, every date...altered...the process is continuing...minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Ideology is always right.
Dr. LaVar Withers, the retired physician who previously said his accusers were lying, has admitted he sexually molested patients for more than 30 years.
Withers will serve two months in jail and two years on probation - performing 10 hours of volunteer work a week - and pay $15,500 in fines.After more than a year of denying allegations that he sexually abused female patients, Withers pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor battery charge Monday. However, the charge referred to numerous victims in Bingham and Madison counties from 1965 through 1995, when Withers retired under pressure from the state Board of Medicine.
He agreed to the plea bargain Monday after being threatened with 16 new charges. Some 117 women had come forward to accuse him.
The Board of Medicine also need to be asked some serious questions. 2 months in jail and a $15.5k fine for 30 years of child abuse?
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
What I find disconcerting under LDS theology is this man will presumably become a god and create billions of female offspring. Think about that for a second.
- Doc
In the face of madness, rationality has no power - Xiao Wang, US historiographer, 2287 AD.
Every record...falsified, every book rewritten...every statue...has been renamed or torn down, every date...altered...the process is continuing...minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Ideology is always right.
There is only one sin for which there can be no forgiveness. The refusal to repent. We leave all such judgements of Eternity up to God. But we do have Scripture that says that for someone to do such despicable acts on children it would be better had they tied a millstone around their necks, and cast themselves into the sea.
The CCC wrote:There is only one sin for which there can be no forgiveness. The refusal to repent.
That's not quite accurate.
The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven, which is shedding innocent blood after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, D&C 132:26–27.
We leave all such judgements of Eternity up to God. But we do have Scripture that says that for someone to do such despicable acts on children it would be better had they tied a millstone around their necks, and cast themselves into the sea.
Seems unrecognisable as coming from the same institution that is prepared to pay $millions to settle the cases and keep them out of the courts and the papers.
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')