Given the recent revelations about sexual abuse perpetrated by a former president of the church’s Missionary Training Center in Provo, I join countless others in hoping that the outcry over these disclosures and the numerous reports of the dismissal of victims will spur the Mormon hierarchy to institute systemic reforms, from revising how members—particularly children—are interviewed by lay leaders to establishing better guidelines for handling reports of abuse, including believing women and holding their abusers accountable. As Lisa Torcasso Downing writes, “The church should ‘create an empowered reporting system, independent of the [male] priesthood line of authority, that includes women as responsible, authorized leaders and participants.’”
I’ve sent the following postcard to the new First Presidency, in addition to the one I sent before as part of my contribution to the Ordain Women 5th birthday wish campaign. I invite all who want to see a significant, systemic change in the way abuse is handled in the church to do likewise.
Dear Presidents Nelson, Oaks and Eyring,
Given the recent disclosures of sexual abuse and the reported dismissal of victims who come forward, my wish is that you aggressively address the problem of sexual abuse in the church by taking victims’ claims seriously, holding their abusers accountable, establishing systemic guidelines for reporting abuse independent of the male priesthood line of authority, and ceasing to dismiss or cover up instances of abuse involving members and leaders. There should be zero tolerance for such abuse in a church that bears Christ’s name.
Sincerely,
Lorie Winder Stromberg