AVA Law Group is currently investigating cases on behalf of individuals who were sexually abused by members of the Mormon Church. Testimonies and recent allegations reveal the Mormon Church has silenced cases of children being sexually abused by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Individuals claim elders, Scoutmasters, and/or missionaries affiliated with the LDS Church not only sexually abused them as children, but the Mormon Church deliberately covered up the abuse and failed to report the crime to local authorities.
If you or a loved one has been victimized by a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormon Church), you don’t have to suffer in silence or fear any longer. Recent changes to statute of limitations on sexual assault may make you eligible to file a claim against your abuser and the Church that hid your abuse. To learn more about your legal options and hold the Mormon Church accountable for your abuse, contact us today and for your free case evaluation.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (recently renamed the Church of Jesus Christ) stretches across the world with over 16 million members and more than 30,000 congregations. While the Church of Jesus Christ promotes caring for the needy throughout the world, allegedly this mentality has not translated to those in the Mormon Church proves who have been sexually abused by fellow LDS members.
Over the years, hundreds of men, women, and youth have stepped forward, claiming that they were victims of sexual abuse as a minor, and the elders in the Mormon Church they trusted with their story did nothing to contact authorities, confront the predator, or do anything beneficial for the victim. All the Church's efforts were in preserving the reputation of the Mormon Church.
To learn more about sexual abuse within the Mormon Church and how to seek help for you or your loved one's suffering, visit https://avalaw.com/abused-in-mormonism/
Testimonies from victims reveal the line between sin and crime gets blurred within the Mormon Church.
Bishops, or nonprofessional clerics, are the main people church members report to in their ward. They oversee the spiritual well-being of their followers and guide them how to act in terms of the teachings of Mormonism. Often, crimes within the Church get reported to them, not local law enforcement.
Fellow LDS members and family members rely on their bishop's judgement, because bishops are said to be blessed with “discernment”, or knowledgeable about what to do or when someone is lying. No matter how devastating the claim brought against an alleged predator, a bishop’s judgment is like God’s.
So, if a bishop vouches for a sexual predator or "discerns" that the predator is telling the truth, LDS members follow what their bishop says, even if they may be covering up a crime. Often, the lack of punishment for sex crimes is a scapegoat for abusers.
Bishops who hear of cases of sexual abuse from members in the Church have been found to simply rely on their own authority to forgive the abuser if the predator claims they will “repent” or have “repented.” Many times elders abuse this privilege to silence cases of sexual abuse to maintain the reputation of the Mormon Church and its members.
In other cases, elders within the Church will transfer abusers to a different church or, in serious cases, excommunicate the predators from the church. However,rarely in ANY of these cases will a bishop report sex abuse crimes to the authorities.
If you or a loved one has been victimized or sexually abused as a minor by a member of the Mormon Church, you may be entitled to financial compensation to help ease the pain and suffering you endured from your abuse.
Filing a civil lawsuit cannot undo the trauma of the past, but it can hold your abuser and affiliated institutions responsible for their involvement in your abuse.
Some survivors file a civil suit against the Church of Latter-day Saints to raise awareness of the sexual abuse problem and have their day in court. Many child sex abuse survivors sue to pursue needed financial compensation to help recover from pain and suffering, therapy, and other medical costs.
At AVA Law Group, we are here to guide you through this time and to help make your voice and story heard. You should not be forced to suffer because someone within the Church took advantage of you as a minor. These predators hidden by the Church need to be held responsible for their actions.
Call AVA Law Group today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation to see if you are eligible to file a civil suit against your abuser and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Any information you share with us is confidential, and we ensure that you are guided through the process of filing a civil suit with as little hassle as possible. Our experienced sexual abuse lawyers are here to fight for your right to justice and healing.
