LDS Church, leaders knew of child sex abuse
KUTV — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently announced policy changes in its revised, updated handbook, but a lawsuit in Arizona filed against the Church earlier this month seeks to change how its abuse helpline handles reporting of child sexual abuse.
The Arizona lawsuit contends that the sexual abuse hotline of the Church contributed to years of ongoing rape and sexual and physical abuse of three Arizona children because it
instructed local Church leaders not to report it. Bishops in charge of local congregations are instructed to call the helpline for assistance in abuse cases.
A bishop is a volunteer leader appointed over a local congregation (known as a ward) with duties similar to those of a pastor, priest or rabbi. Typical length of service is five years. The Church provided a statement from lawyer Bill Maledon, representing the case in Arizona that said it offers assistance to the victims but will also "vigorously defend against this baseless lawsuit."
The lawsuit states because two different bishops called the line and were told they didn't need to report the crimes, "horrific abuse" continued for the oldest victim in an Arizona family that then also included a baby girl who was born after the initial abuse of the older sibling was known by Church leaders. The rapes and sex abuse were also filmed and used to create child pornography that has circulated widely, to the point that adoptive families were told the children's "pornographic images are 'everywhere' on the dark web."