Accusations surfaced against the Mormon Church leaders of concealing a widespread sexual abuse crisis, according to a report published by Daily Mail Sunday.
These alleged claims were brought to light by victims and backed by a report from Daily Mail. Among the revelations are accounts of young girls, subjected to terrible abuse, being urged to forgive their assailants and dissuaded from seeking police intervention. Victims allege a systemic issue, citing ‘rampant’ abuse and ‘extremely high rates of incest’ within Mormon households.
Detailed investigations into court documents and interviews with former and current church members allegedly reveal a longstanding pattern of ecclesiastical leaders reportedly concealing crimes to preserve the church’s image. A recent court ruling in Arizona highlighted the church’s alleged use of spiritual confession as a shield against reporting abuse to law enforcement.
A victim named Nicole Snow came forward and claims that as a teenager, she was abused by Dr. David Farley. Farley is a respected Mormon ecclesiastical leader and physician and allegedly committed the abuse under the guise of medical treatment, Daily Mail reported. Despite over 200 women coming forward with similar accusations against Farley, the church has not excommunicated him or initiated disciplinary proceedings.
“He’s still around children gaining trust in the community. He’s a very dangerous man. We just want action from the church,” Snow said in a statement, per Daily Mail.
The Jones family also alleges that their three-year-old daughter’s sexual abuse by a fellow church member was not reported to authorities as mandated by state law. Their lawsuit accuses the Mormon Church of a widespread pattern of concealing child sexual abuse.
This culture of secrecy and protection of the institution at the expense of victims is not new, according to Kathleen Wallace, per Daily Mail. She claims her own childhood abuse was ignored by the church. Many victims, like Lindsay Lyman, believe this institutional inaction enables perpetrators to reoffend and leave those harmed without support or justice.
