Legal action against the LDS Church for sexual abuse

Hundreds have filed lawsuits alleging abuse and cover-ups within the Mormon Church

Were you or a loved one sexually abused by a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints? You may have a legal claim, even as an adult. To know if you qualify for a Mormon Church lawsuit, please refer to the confidential form on this page.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon or LDS Church, is among several religious institutions facing mounting allegations of child sexual abuse and institutional cover-ups. Various individuals have come forward with reports and allegations of abuse by those in positions of trust, including bishops, elders, missionaries and scout masters.

Many of those harmed say the Church failed to protect them—and in some cases, actively shielded abusers from accountability. In response, survivors are now taking legal action to expose systemic wrongdoing and to seek justice for the lifelong anguish they have endured.

If you or a loved one were sexually abused as a minor by someone affiliated with the LDS Church, you may be eligible to file a legal claim—even if the abuse happened years ago. A confidential consultation can help determine whether you qualify to participate in a Mormon Church lawsuit.

Sexual abuse within the Mormon Church

Many churchgoers place inherent trust in clergy and active congregation members. Unfortunately, several religious groups, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), have faced widespread allegations of child sexual abuse and institutional cover-ups. 

Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against the LDS Church, detailing disturbing patterns of abuse and systematic inaction. Survivors report being groomed, inappropriately touched or worse—often while attending church services, LDS-sponsored events, or other religious activities.

Rather than reporting allegations to law enforcement, the LDS Church often insisted on handling abuse claims internally. The Church established a sexual abuse hotline, which directed victims or their families to speak with their local bishop, who had the authority to determine what action, if any, would be taken.

In many cases, Church leaders chose to withhold evidence or failed to alert the police or social services. While these decisions may have protected the Church from public scandal, they came at a devastating cost to survivors—many of whom continue to carry the lifelong emotional and psychological weight of their abuse.

The long-term effects and financial burden of child sexual abuse

The trauma of clergy sexual abuse doesn’t end when the abuse stops. For many survivors, especially those harmed by trusted authority figures, the effects can last a lifetime.

Survivors of sexual abuse may experience a wide range of long-term impacts, including:

• Depression and melancholia
• Guilt, shame, and self-reproach
• Various eating disorders
• Stress-related somatic symptoms
• General or specific anxieties
• Dissociative coping patterns
• Repression and/or denial
• Sexual incumbrances
• Dysfunctional relationships
• Destructive and addictive behaviors

As a result, many survivors require long-term therapy, mental health care or even medical treatment. These services may be expensive and ongoing, placing a heavy financial burden on those already suffering.

For some survivors, legal action may offer a path to compensation that can help cover the cost of care and begin to ease the financial toll of healing.

The history of sexual misconduct lawsuits against the LDS Church

In recent years, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against the Mormon Church, alleging clergy sexual abuse, as well as the Church’s failure to report these crimes to law enforcement. 

• In 2017, two Indigenous women from the Navajo Nation and one from the Crow Tribe filed lawsuits claiming they were sexually abused during the 1960s and 1970s. The women had participated in a Mormon-run, off-reservation home placement program, which aimed to assimilate Native children into Mormon families. Their lawsuit alleged that the LDS Church failed to protect them and ignored signs of abuse. These were not the first allegations tied to this controversial program.
• In 2020, two sisters filed a lawsuit against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San José, CA, alleging that they were sexually abused by a former high-ranking Church leader, Joseph Neipp. The suit claimed the church failed to prevent the abuse.
• In 2022, a lawsuit was filed against two Mormon bishops, accusing them of failing to report known sexual abuse. They justified their failure to report by citing religious privilege. 

These lawsuits are part of a growing body of legal actions seeking to hold the LDS Church accountable for patterns of abuse and institutional secrecy.  

Holding the LDS Church accountable for abuse 

One plaintiff in a Mormon Church lawsuit, identified only as AH, shared a message for other survivors: 

“Understand that you are not alone. It is not your fault. The shame is not yours. Rather, the shame belongs to those who abused, as well as those who allowed the abuse to happen.”

If you or a loved on experienced child sexual abuse while at an LDS Church event, or were harmed in any way by a church leader or member in a position of trust, you may be eligible to take legal action.

You are invited to share your experience using the confidential form on this page. Your voice matters, and you are not alone.

Fill out the form on this page to see if you qualify for a free case evaluation.