Recordings show how the Mormon church protects itself from child sex abuse claims
Recordings show how the Mormon church protects itself from child sex abuse claims
A former Mormon bishop whom a top church official said committed “sexual transgression” with his own daughter was excommunicated after making a religious confession
Audio recordings of the meetings over the next four months, obtained by The Associated Press, show how [Utah attorney and head of the church’s Risk Management Division] Rytting, despite expressing concern for what he called John [Goodrich]’s “significant sexual transgression,” would employ the risk management playbook that has helped the church keep child sexual abuse cases secret. In particular, the church would discourage [Bishop Michael] Miller from testifying, citing a law that exempts clergy from having to divulge information about child sex abuse that is gleaned in a confession. Without Miller’s testimony, prosecutors dropped the charges, telling Lorraine that her impending divorce and the years that had passed since Chelsea {Goodrich}'s alleged abuse might prejudice jurors.
Abstinence makes the church grow fondlers.
Wow, that's good!
I read the title without the word "claims" and was pleasently confused for a second.
Unfortunately, the Associated Press returns to grind this tired axe. It claims that the bishop couldn't testify against the abuser because the Church wouldn't allow him, but in reality the Church has no such influence over bishops, which are volunteers. The real reason the bishop couldn't testify was because of a state law requiring the accused to release the bishop from clergy-pentitent privilege first, which the accused refused to do. So blame the abuser and the law, not the Church.
Clergy should not have more confidentiality than a therapist. You tell a therapist you are raping babies, they have to call the cops. Confession is no different.
Hm, I wonder which very large, politically influential, interested organization based in Utah might be responding for a state law like that?
This is Idaho, but mormon influence is strong there as well.