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Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:41 pm
by _Drifting
From today's SLTrib
A Mormon bishop has been ordered to stand trial on charges that he failed to report a child sex abuse case after meeting with a teenage girl in his congregation.
Gordon Lamont Moon, 43, is charged with one third-degree felony count of tampering with a witness, and one class B misdemeanor count of failure to report suspected child abuse.
Eighth District Judge Lyle Anderson took the case under advisement following a December preliminary hearing and handed down a written ruling on the matter last week.
According to a court document, the 17-year-old girl was sexually abused by a younger teen in July. The girl’s father later asked Moon to speak with the girl.
"[Moon] said that I need to think about what [the teen boy] is going through, and I don’t need to start telling the cops or anything because he’s already going to have to go through a bunch of repentance and all that stuff," the girl later told police, according to court documents.
The girl told police in another interview that Moon "told me that he didn’t think it was a good idea [to talk to police] until he talked to [the boy and his parents]."
I'm not sure that the girls Father comes out of this with any credit either.
Re: Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:45 pm
by _Buffalo
I wonder how often this sort of thing happens and we don't hear anything about it.
Re: Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:56 pm
by _Yoda
Buffalo wrote:I wonder how often this sort of thing happens and we don't hear anything about it.
I think that, based on this recent report, it is happening less and less. More victims are finding the strength to speak out, which is causing the Church to really pay attention to this issue.
I will say that the men I have come know who are bishops have done the right thing when confronted with this type of issue, and have contacted the police.
Re: Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 1:18 am
by _Dr. Shades
Drifting wrote:I'm not sure that the girls Father comes out of this with any credit either.
I agree. If his daughter was the VICTIM, then why did SHE need to see the bishop??
Re: Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:38 am
by _Tobin
I really don't understand this at all. Why didn't the bishop have enough common sense that the moment he heard about this that he went directly to the the police about it? Clearly he said enough stupid things that the DA is pressing charges now. Wow.
Re: Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:54 am
by _Drifting
Tobin wrote:I really don't understand this at all. Why didn't the bishop have enough common sense that the moment he heard about this that he went directly to the the police about it? Clearly he said enough stupid things that the DA is pressing charges now. Wow.
I agree.
Bishop's are, mostly, unqualified to deal with this type of situation and are put in a terrible position. There should be a clear, unequivocal, written protocol for them to apply when faced with this type of thing. Then, if there are any repurcussions etc it can be the Church, rather than the individual Bishop that is held accountable (unless he fails to follow the procedure).
This would also help the victim and the perpetrator, in that they would receive proper and timely attention rather than being at the whim of the thoughts and actions of an untrained man who thinks he is being inspired.
Re: Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:35 am
by _bcspace
I really don't understand this at all. Why didn't the bishop have enough common sense that the moment he heard about this that he went directly to the the police about it? Clearly he said enough stupid things that the DA is pressing charges now. Wow.
You all talk a good game, but the reality is that very very few parents, when faced with the opportunity to press charges, prefer to cover up sex between teens, inappropriate touching (forced and unforced), and statutory rape. This would all make more sense if more people made use of the law instead of the culture being to look the other way. Then the accusations against this Bishop would be more of an anomaly than merely an extension of reality.
Re: Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:39 am
by _Nomomo
Dr. Shades wrote:Drifting wrote:I'm not sure that the girls Father comes out of this with any credit either.
I agree. If his daughter was the VICTIM, then why did SHE need to see the bishop??
Well... He does get some credit. It was her parents who contacted the the Sherrif's Office, reported the sexual assault and claimed Moon had advised their daughter not to talk to police. So in the end when the Bishop ended up being a total freaking moron he did the right thing.
Perhaps the Father should have contacted the police before contacting the Bishop, but maybe we can cut him a little slack for that....He is a Mo, after all ~_-
Re: Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 1:07 pm
by _Drifting
Nomomo wrote:Perhaps the Father should have contacted the police before contacting the Bishop
I don't believe there is any 'perhaps' about it.
In fairness, if it was my daughter, contacting the police would be the second thing I'd do. But the first wouldn't be speaking to the Bishop...
Re: Bishops don't cover up abuse...
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 6:00 pm
by _3sheets2thewind
I agree in part with BCspace, parents at times will not want to report what happens.
In the Brock case from Arizona, two Bishops did not report abuse they knew. These two Bishops violated Arizona law, though the local prosecutor was would not prosecute. The local PR rep for the LDS Church in Az lied about the Bishops and Arizona law.