Anyone read the AP Story about sex abuse in the LDS Church?

[Anonymous]

Just terrible. He didn't even try to hide it, and the Church actively covered it up.
https://apnews.com/article/Mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660

The Adams family lived on a lonely dirt road about 8 miles from the center of Bisbee, an old copper-mining town in southeastern Arizona known today for its antique shops and laid-back attitude. Far from prying eyes, the Adams home — a three-bedroom, open concept affair surrounded by desert — was often littered with piles of clothing and containers of lubricant Adams used to sexually abuse his children, according to legal documents reviewed by the AP.

Paul’s wife, Leizza, assumed most of the child-rearing responsibilities, including getting their six children off to school and chauffeuring them to church and religious instruction on Sundays. Paul, who worked for the U.S. Border Patrol, spent much of his time online looking at porn, often with his children watching, or wandering the house naked or in nothing but his underwear.

He had a short fuse and would frequently throw things, yell at his wife and beat his kids. “He just had this explosive personality,” said Shaunice Warr, a Border Patrol agent and a Mormon who worked with Paul and described herself as Leizza’s best friend. “He had a horrible temper.”

Paul was more relaxed while coaxing his older daughter to hold a smartphone camera and record him while he sexually abused her. He also seemed to revel in the abuse in online chat rooms, where he once bragged that he had “the perfect lifestyle” because he could have sex with his daughters whenever he pleased, while his wife knew and “doesn’t care.”

[Anonymous]

The most important part of the article is the last paragraph:

The adoptive parents of the third Adams child who has filed suit declined to speak to the AP about the case. Like MJ, Miranda and Matthew Whitworth said they joined the lawsuit against the church on behalf of their young daughter not in hopes of a payday, but to change church policy so that any instance of child sexual abuse is immediately reported to civil authorities. “We just don’t understand why they’re paying all these lawyers to fight this,” Matthew Whitworth said. “Just change the policy.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread implies there's more sexual abuse within the LDS church than the general population, but I'd suppose that would turn out to be FALSE.

+1

This is an excellent report by the AP and the focus here should be on how people know about pedophiles — KNOW — and are willing to look away. Whether it’s the Mormon Church or Penn State football or your relatives in your family of origin. THAT mentality is what you all should be taking a hard look and working hard to dismantle, rather than a specific religion (or school or any other group). It really is the same everywhere.

- Survivor

+infinity

It’s a terrible problem throughout the entire world, throughout all institutions, families, etc. It should not be used as a wedge issue to call out personal grievances…real people are having their bodies and minds destroyed by this horrific abuse.

Schools and colleges for sure.
Please teach your children how to minimize their risk, especially by middle school and high school.

[Anonymous]

Abhorrent how many people, even right here on dcum have a “not my business” attitude when you darn well KNOW “something is not right”.

I will personally risk my life to speak UP and OUT if I see (or hear!) about anything. Not MY job to prove anything. I’m not an investigator. But it IS my job and YOUR job to report AND DEMAND a hard COPY of that report.

Abuse is happening just about everywhere. If you think it ain’t happening in YOUR circles, YOU are perpetuating the abuse. Wake up, people, and open your eyes. YOUR child or grandchild might be next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The most important part of the article is the last paragraph:

The adoptive parents of the third Adams child who has filed suit declined to speak to the AP about the case. Like MJ, Miranda and Matthew Whitworth said they joined the lawsuit against the church on behalf of their young daughter not in hopes of a payday, but to change church policy so that any instance of child sexual abuse is immediately reported to civil authorities. “We just don’t understand why they’re paying all these lawyers to fight this,” Matthew Whitworth said. “Just change the policy.”

Poor children

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Abuse is built in to the Church. Bishops point blank ask minors, in a room alone without their parents present, if they watch porn or if they masturbate in interviews for baptism, temple worthiness, or to apply for an LDS mission. Children as young as 11 or 12. They ask specific questions. Like “when was the last time you watched pornography?” Not just occasionally or with some particularly overzealous bishops—this is standard in every bishop interview for them to interrogate children about this. It’s sick and it’s wrong.

This happened to me. Also, the article makes me cry and want to vomit. A had a close friend who was a victim of sexual abuse by her stepfather and it was never reported and he bishop mad he feel dirty and ashamed for disclosing it. Will never go back, and talking to an active LDS man still triggers me.

I’m so sorry. I was never a member of the church but I based what I wrote above on the experiences of my husband and his fellow exmormon friends. It is a despicable organization and it turns my stomach when people opine about how “friendly and healthy!!!” mormons are.

[Anonymous]

There is sex abuse anywhere there are men, which is basically everywhere, and especially where men are in power, which again, is basically everywhere.

Sorry, but this is the truth. There has been child sex abuse in EVERY denomination. Catholics, Presbyterians, independent churches, there's a big scandal right now with the Southern Baptists.

It's EVERYWHERE.

[Anonymous]

Parents of boys have a lot of extra responsibility to teach their sons that life does not revolve around their d*ck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Abhorrent how many people, even right here on dcum have a “not my business” attitude when you darn well KNOW “something is not right”.

I will personally risk my life to speak UP and OUT if I see (or hear!) about anything. Not MY job to prove anything. I’m not an investigator. But it IS my job and YOUR job to report AND DEMAND a hard COPY of that report.

Abuse is happening just about everywhere. If you think it ain’t happening in YOUR circles, YOU are perpetuating the abuse. Wake up, people, and open your eyes. YOUR child or grandchild might be next.

The “Not my business” attitude was rampant in the Atheist Sexual Misconduct thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Abhorrent how many people, even right here on dcum have a “not my business” attitude when you darn well KNOW “something is not right”.

I will personally risk my life to speak UP and OUT if I see (or hear!) about anything. Not MY job to prove anything. I’m not an investigator. But it IS my job and YOUR job to report AND DEMAND a hard COPY of that report.

Abuse is happening just about everywhere. If you think it ain’t happening in YOUR circles, YOU are perpetuating the abuse. Wake up, people, and open your eyes. YOUR child or grandchild might be next.

Years ago, there was a dad who was very inappropriate around the teen girls at my child’s dance studio. There were complaints about him and the studio actually backed him up and told the complaining parents to MYOB. It was very weird and very disconcerting.

We left that studio because they allowed this man to just roam around the studio and backstage, with no effort to make sure other adults were always around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is sex abuse anywhere there are men, which is basically everywhere, and especially where men are in power, which again, is basically everywhere.

Sorry, but this is the truth. There has been child sex abuse in EVERY denomination. Catholics, Presbyterians, independent churches, there's a big scandal right now with the Southern Baptists.

It's EVERYWHERE.

It’s everywhere but let’s not pretend it’s equally prevalent everywhere, because that is false. I haven’t gotten to read the linked article yet, but miss me if you’re going to pretend that what the Catholics did to enable sexual crimes against children to be the same as a few pastors in mainline churches who were dealt with and removed from the clergy.

What you’re saying is a variation of the “both sides” argument in politics. It’s as wrong here to claim that it’s everywhere equally as bad as it is to claim that both political parties suffer from the same degree of corruption and crime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Abhorrent how many people, even right here on dcum have a “not my business” attitude when you darn well KNOW “something is not right”.

I will personally risk my life to speak UP and OUT if I see (or hear!) about anything. Not MY job to prove anything. I’m not an investigator. But it IS my job and YOUR job to report AND DEMAND a hard COPY of that report.

Abuse is happening just about everywhere. If you think it ain’t happening in YOUR circles, YOU are perpetuating the abuse. Wake up, people, and open your eyes. YOUR child or grandchild might be next.

Years ago, there was a dad who was very inappropriate around the teen girls at my child’s dance studio. There were complaints about him and the studio actually backed him up and told the complaining parents to MYOB. It was very weird and very disconcerting.

We left that studio because they allowed this man to just roam around the studio and backstage, with no effort to make sure other adults were always around.

I remember quitting my dance studio as a tween because of the teacher's creepy husband who was always handsy with girls grabbed me - I freaked out and the teacher and other adults there tried to push that it was fine nd I was overreacting. My mom was like "hell no" when I told her and I quit that day.

Its everywhere, but there's a special kind of hell for people who know and do nothing. For any religion to have members, let along LEADERS, who let children be abused- monsters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, and it was horrible, just horrible.

This is not a religion issue, though. It's a men with power issue.

And men have a lot of power in most religions, incl Mormonism.

[Anonymous]

Disgusting and sad but I am not even surprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, and it was horrible, just horrible.

This is not a religion issue, though. It's a men with power issue.

And men have a lot of power in most religions, incl Mormonism.

In Mormonism and several others, I would argue that men have all the power and women and children are powerless.