At the beginning of May 2019 two mothers of children who were sexually abused by convicted paedophile, Michael Jensen, appeared back in their former ward in Martinsburg, West Virginia to warn the congregation that the children there are not safe.
This is a community, they argued, that circled their wagons around the perpetrator and their leaders. This is a community that made sinners out of those who pointed out the sin. This is a community that never apologised for their role in creating a climate that turned a church against the victims and their families.
Alice Koivu and Kelly Plante join me to talk about their journey back (as uninvited guests with a message) to the LDS Church pulpit.
Bishops and stake presidents should have some accountability for silencing victims and allowing abuse to continue. I’m in shock and how long Michael Jensen was allowed to keep abusing children in that stake. I’m in shock at how long the Bishop and Stake President were party to this crime. I’m in shock at the church lawyers from Kirton & McConkie, Randy Austin specifically, can use such deceptive methods to try to shift responsibility from church leaders onto the victims and their families. I’m ashamed to be a part of this church. Nothing here speaks of The doctrine of Jesus Christ. The bishops, stake president, church leaders in SLC and Randy Austin from the church’s law firm are standing in the way of justice, mercy, compassion, kindness and care for the abused. I feel utterly sickened.
I thought my church was so good but behind the scenes where they think they can get away with it, they are covering up CRIMES and protecting criminals while casting those that have been harmed. I’m ashamed that they call themselves men of truth and righteousness. I’m ashamed that they claim to act in the name of God. They do not.
There are shitty and disgusting people in every single race, culture, and religion. I think it’s wrong to assume a rotten apple makes the entire tree bad
In this case, the entire tree is bad.
You’re not thinking large enough. It’s not just the perpetrator. It’s the church policies which protect them, the leaders who silence them, and the church members who won’t even acknowledge them , or research why this keeps happening. You are part of the problem.