This is story #359. I’ve redacted the location. Our current policy facilitates grooming and sexual assault of our children. The following would never have happened if parents had been in the room.

We lost a generation of young men in my ward in the 80’s due to grooming and molestation by a bishop facilitated by one on one bishop interviews. He convinced several young men that there was a secret priesthood initiation involving oral sex. One young man spoke out and his parents took it to church court. The bishop brought in many character witnesses. The accusation was kept secret so no other witnesses came forward and no investigation (e.g. interviews of other youth) took place at that time. So the decision by church court was apparently to remove him from his calling and make it so he “never was bishop again.” He then moved to Pennsylvania, became bishop, and did it again. This time the accusations were proved true, and a serious investigation in our ward youth commenced. All the young men were interviewed. The extent of his depredation was widespread and his family, who I love, was devastated. So the system fails the youth. There is no window on the door to the bishop’s office. No youth should be interviewed without a parent present. Period.

By eliminating one-on-one, behind-closed-door access to our kids, where all kinds of sexual practices can be discussed, we will:

Protect our children Protect our bishops Protect the good name of the church.

Join the March for The Children

Help us assure that the children of the future don’t repeat the dreadful experiences of the children in our past.

Make plans to join us for this historic event. On March 30, 2018 we will gather at the Salt Lake City/County Building. Then march 5 blocks to the LDS Church Office Building. Upon arrival, we will present 2 items to church officials:

The signatories on the Petition to Protect The Children–Stop Sexually Explicit Interviews of Mormon Youth

Sacred Stories of Sacred Children. A record of childhoods destroyed behind closed doors.

Register here so we can get an accurate count ahead of time. Our goal is 1,000 marchers. It’s going to be big.

How can you help make this all happen:

Share the march info everywhere.

Bring your friends & family.

Encourage friends & family in Utah and surrounding states to join in

We are making Mormon history. Come make it with us. It’s a once in a lifetime event.

***Please Share the March-For-The-Children FAR and WIDE***

Links

Sign the Petition

Share Your Story

See the Stories

Read the Stories

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