The Mormon Church, historically known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is known the world over for being a conservative church that rejects almost all modern ways of life. For decades, it claimed to espouse numerous noble virtues such as humility, chastity, morality, and faith. However, the house of cards that is the Mormon’s church relentless PR machine came down over the years when numerous individuals came forward alleging that leaders in the church sexually abused them for years. This was unexpected, and caught the church unawares, scrambling for whatever little credibility it had. In addition, individuals that were victims of Mormon church sexual abuse were starting to file both criminal and civil lawsuits in order to recover justice and compensation for the trauma they had to endure for decades after being victimized by church leaders and adults that they thought they could trust on account of their affiliation with a higher power.
Were you sexually abused by a church member at the Mormon Church? If you were a member of this church as well as were affiliated with the Boy Scouts, the Boys and Girls Club and YMCA and were abused, we’d love to help you. Please contact our Mormon sexual abuse lawsuit attorneys NOW at (773) 309-6249 to learn more about your legal options. Please be advised that we take on all cases on contingency fee basis, which means that we work on your case at NO COST to you, and only charge you once we’ve recovered compensation on your behalf. For more information on Mormon sexual abuse lawsuits, and how to file them, please call (773) 309-6249 NOW for your FREE legal consultation. Now serving all Mormon sexual abuse victims countrywide.
Mormon Church Sexual Abuse – How Does It Happen?
Mormon communities are very private and shield themselves from the outside world. As a result, it may be difficult to even know that sexual abuse is taking place within these communities. Threats, intimidation and fear of being excommunicated from the herd are running themes in such settings, so many individuals, male and female, choose to stay quiet and say nothing for decades. This can be caused by fears of being retaliated against, the feeling of guilt and shame, the fear of having to face their perpetrator in a court setting, and even feeling as if they were to blame for the abuse, and that they deserve it.
Sexual Abuse in the Mormon Church – Lifelong Trauma
Sexual abuse in the Mormon Church is such as traumatic event that many individuals block the event out of their memory, and said memories only begin to surface much later in life. Sexual abuse can make an individual mistrusting, have rocky interpersonal relationships, fear intimacy, and even suffer psychosomatic illnesses due to fallout from the trauma.
Mormon Church History and Structure
The Mormon Church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it came to being in the late 1800s when its founder claimed that he had unearthed material stating that a lost tribe of Israel had made the Americas their home. Around the same time, church members were persecuted and forced to run to Utah, and due to long-term isolation, created divergent spiritual and cultural ways of life which is now evidenced in modern day Mormons. The church is headed by an appointed, able-bodied male who holds this position in a voluntary manner for 5 years, and has authority that is typically seen in Bishops in the Catholic Church, or a rabbi, or a priest.
Mormon Church Sexual Abuse Allegations
For decades, the Mormon Church attempted to cover up allegations of sexual abuse. However, in 2018, a woman aged 55 came out to state that the leaders at the Mormon Church were aware that their father was raping her and her other siblings, but they did nothing to prevent it or report to the authorities. The church periodically “solved” this problem by simply moving the family from one city to the next once they received a report of sexual abuse.
Another high profile case involving sexual abuse in the Mormon Church involved the allegations surrounding Michael Jensen, who came from a well-known Mormon Church family in West Virginia. The allegations state that Jensen abused two boys back in 2013, and consequently was handed a 35-year sentence in prison.
Settlement for Mormon Church Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse has the potential to steal an individual’s future. As a result, it is important that one seek some form of compensation in order to rebuild their life through seeking therapy, getting the medical care they need, be reimbursed for the lost wages they may have incurred or loss of earning capacity due to the trauma that bled into every facet of their life, and so on.
Types of compensation one can recover in a Mormon Church abuse lawsuit:
- Psychological counseling
- Medical counseling
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Reduction of one’s quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Wrongful death if a loved one committed suicide due to the abuse
Why Choose Us – Mormon Church Sexual Abuse Attorneys
We must stress at this point that we respect your privacy as a sex abuse survivor. As a result, we would like to point out that most sexual abuse lawsuits do not go to trial. Settling out of court is the desired route as this is not only time-saving for all parties, but it is also cost-effective and will get you the best results. Handling a sexual abuse claim on your own is not advisable, as there are so many legal moving parts that you may not know about that we can help with, and we can make sure that you get maximum compensation as allowed by the law.
Sexually Abused In the Mormon Church? We Can Help!
When it comes to a Mormon Church sexual abuse lawsuit and settlement, our attorneys can help you gather evidence which will go a long way in satisfying the court-mandated burden of proof, calling forth experts and witnesses, and creating a compelling case that will put you on the road towards closure. The Mormon Church sexual abuse lawyers at McCready Law stand with you during these difficult times, and we promise to handle your claim with the sensitivity and privacy that it deserves. Please call (773) 309-6249 NOW for your FREE legal consultation. Thanks for choosing us, and we look forward to helping you.