A growing number of Mormon sex abuse lawsuits are shedding light on how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints allegedly protects the church more than church sex abuse victims.

Church Finances Prioritized

In 2008, Mormon church member Helen W. and her husband asked a local 16-year-old son of a respected fellow church family to babysit their then 4-year-old son, Zachary. Michael Jensen had been a likable fellow, and Helen was puzzled as to why Zachary began to cry one day, insisting that he didn’t want to see Jensen anymore.

Helen asked Zachary why he didn’t want to have Jensen babysit him again, and Zachary replied that Jensen had been “mean” to him. Helen couldn’t imagine what Jensen could have done that was so cruel, and asked Zachary to specify. He told his mom that he was a victim of sexual assault committed by Jensen.

Helen said she and her husband immediately contacted Bishop Donald Fishel to tell him of Zachary’s allegations against Michael Jensen.

Fishel said that after he talked to Jensen, he determined that Zachary must have walked in on Jensen watching pornography and that nothing else happened. Because bishops are supposedly gifted with a power to tell whether someone is lying, Fishel indicated no doubt that Jensen was telling the entire story.

Fast-forward to 2018, which is when the church settled a Mormon sex abuse lawsuit filed by Zachary’s family after unsavory details surrounding the church’s abuse reporting hotline surfaced, according to Vice News.

Promoted as a hotline for bishops to obtain advice on counseling, any calls regarding circumstances that could have a negative financial impact on the church allegedly are transferred to a law firm located just blocks away from Salt Lake City’s Mormon temple. For years, the lawyers at Kirton McConkie purportedly have intercepted calls that could result in Mormon sex abuse lawsuits so that the church can say the discussions are covered through attorney-client privileges. Timothy Kosnoff is a lawyer who represented Helen in Zachary’s case among other plaintiffs against the church, and he told Vice News about the Kirton McConkie firm running interference on sex abuse calls.

Why Mormon church officials are not told to report credible allegations of sexual abuse to local authorities remains unanswered.

Mormon Clergy and Teacher Allegedly Hid Abuse

A lawsuit filed earlier this month in Arizona allege Bisbee resident and Mormon church member Paul Adams admitted to sexually, physically and emotionally abusing his daughters when they were between the ages of six weeks and 12 years, but church leaders failed to rescue the children because the abuse was never reported to law enforcement. He purportedly posted videos of the assaults to the internet for seven years, told Mormon church leaders and a Mormon teacher of his abusive ways, but only received counseling from the church.

Even though Adams killed himself in 2017 when he was found hanging in his prison cell, the lawsuit alleges the Mormon church knew of the crimes and failed to help the children by never reporting the abuse to the authorities.

Not All Mormon Sex Abuse Lawsuits Are the Same

An Oregon woman filed a lawsuit against the Mormon church in January, asking for $10 million after the church disclosed that her husband confessed to church administrators that he had committed child sexual abuse.

Plaintiff Kristine Johnson accused clergyman of violating church policy because her husband thought his confession was confidential. The church reported the abuse to law enforcement authorities, who arrested her husband in 2017 and charged him with first-degree sodomy, sexual abuse and unlawful sexual penetration of a girl under the age of 16 years old.

Timothy Samuel Johnson ended up pleading guilty to four counts of second-degree sexual abuse, which translated to a 15-year prison sentence.

Kristine Johnson accuses the church of a breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and interference with prospective economic advantage because she and her four children are now without their husband and father.

Woman Sues LDS Church Due to ‘Scheme of Lies’

A woman who was raised Mormon filed a lawsuit against the church, alleging the use of child labor and gathering of tithes are all part of a “scheme of lies” to enhance the church’s financial standing.

She said that false doctrines are pushed upon members when they are children through the use of song, and are emphasized throughout their lives. In a recent amendment to her complaint, Laura alleges the LDS church uses misleading guidance to increase profits, and billions of dollars purportedly have gone into for-profit businesses as opposed to being used for humanitarian aid as promised.

Filing a Mormon Sex Abuse Lawsuit

A growing number of people are coming forward with allegations of sexual abuse within the Mormon church, even years or decades after the fact. Many states have recently expanded their sexual abuse laws to allow survivors more time to come forward and pursue litigation.

The Mormon church is one of a number of religious organizations that have been hit with allegations of sexual abuse, some of which date back decades. Other institutions caught in the midst of child sexual abuse scandal include the Catholic church and the Southern Baptist church.

If you or someone you love has experienced abuse within the Mormon church or other religious organization, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by abuse, but it can at least provide some financial compensation as well as hold those responsible for your suffering accountable for their actions and inactions. This can include perpetrators as well as any organizations that may have allowed the abuse to occur.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially over something as traumatic as child sexual abuse, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.