Ep 465 – The LDS Church Interview and Sexual Abuse

Glenn Ostlund's Psychology Today Profile“If the Mormon church won’t train their bishops on how to better detect the signs of sexual abuse, I will.” In this live presentation. Matt Long discusses the specific ways the personal priesthood interview and the LDS church policy regarding reporting abuse fail victims so often. Matt also offers specific suggestions for how to protect kids from abuse and ways to ensure kids who disclose abuse are received with love and safety. Although this presentation uses the LDS church as a framing, this topic and the principles discussed are applicable to virtually every sexual abuse situation. Parents will be given information and suggestions to protect their kids from abuse and help kids who have experienced abuse. Matt Long, former Sex Crimes Prosecutor and current criminal defense attorney will discuss laws, policies, and practices of the Mormon Church and reporting sexual abuse. The following topics are covered: – The different types of disclosures victims make and the issues surrounding different types of disclosures. – How and why he bishop interview fails victims and perpetuated abuse so often. – What are the LDS Church’s policies and practices in reporting sexual abuse -Suggestions of policy changes that must be implemented to keep kids safe while maintaining the theological and doctrinal purposes of the personal priesthood interview.