Mandatory reporting of abuse

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Articles about Abuse and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

General Principles	The Church's position on abuse Bishop interviews with youth Mandatory reporting of abuse Abuse victims and lack of culpability Child abuse in the scriptures
Specific Cases	Ritual child abuse accusations in the 1990s Abuse and the Boy Scouts of America Bisbee, Arizona — Adams abuse case

Question: Why don't bishops report every possible abuse to law enforcement?

"The Church’s position is that abuse cannot be tolerated in any form. Those who abuse their spouses, children, other family members, or anyone else violate the laws of God and man. . . . When abuse occurs, the first and immediate responsibility of Church leaders is to help those who have been abused and to protect vulnerable persons from future abuse."

Given the Church's position, why don't bishops report every possible abuse to law enforcement? Bishops operate under the clergy confessional privilege, which helps people who have sinned have confidence that disclosing sins to the bishop will not automatically result in legal action. This allows the person to begin the process of repentance and change, to leave behind the sinful activity. (As part of this repentance process, the person is encouraged to voluntarily report to law enforcement.) When this confessional privilege is absent, people may be less inclined to seek help to change. In fact, multiple studies have shown that mandatory reporting laws do not decrease abuse, and some research indicates these laws may actually contribute to an increase in abuse (see C.D. Cunningham, below, and Mical Raz, below).

By counseling confidentially with perpetrators of abuse, and as appropriate restricting or withdrawing a person's Church membership, bishops are able to protect others as well as help the perpetrator repent, thus preventing future abuse.

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Learn more about abuse

FAIR links	Jennifer Roach, "Shedding Light on the Complexities: Understanding Abuse within the LDS Church," Proceedings of the 2023 FAIR Conference (August 2023). link Jennifer Roach, "Why LDS Teens Benefit From a Few Moments Alone With Their Bishop," 2020 FairMormon Conference (video embedded below).
Online	Church hotline for leaders who encounter evidence or suspicion of abuse (for details see Handbook 1, [2010], 17.3.2). "Gospel Topics, "Abuse"," lds.org website. Church publications Responding to Abuse: Helps for Ecclesiastical Leaders (PDF booklet) Preventing and Responding to Spouse Abuse (pamphlet) Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse (pamphlet) Protect the Child: Responding to Child Abuse (DVD) Responding to Abuse: Helps for Bishops (DVD) Bishop's Guide: Helping Victims of Abuse (on-line) Bishop’s Guide: Abuse (Helping the Offender) (on-line) General authority addresses Gordon B. Hinckley, "Save the Children," Ensign (November 1994). Gordon B. Hinckley, "Personal Worthiness to Exercise the Priesthood," Ensign (July 2002). Gordon B. Hinckley, "These, Our Little Ones," Ensign (December 2007). Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Tongue of Angels," Ensign (May 2007). Dallin H. Oaks, "Protect the Children," Ensign (November 2012). Richard G. Scott, "Healing the Tragic Scars of Abuse," Ensign (May 1992). Richard G. Scott, "To Heal the Shattering Consequences of Abuse," Ensign (May 1992). Other materials J. Thomas Cearley, "Stop Using Words That Hurt," Ensign (March 2006). Sarah E. Miller, "Hope and Healing in Recovering from Abuse," Ensign (September 2008). Judy C. Olsen, "The Invisible Heartbreaker," Ensign (June 1996).
Video	""Failure to report sexual abuse Bisbee, Arizona"," BH Roberts Foundation print-link.
Print	C.D. Cunningham, "Are Publicized Abuse Cases Exceptional or Representative of Our Faith?" Public Square Magazine, 4 August 2022. Mical Raz, "Mandatory Reporting Isn't the Solution," Public Square Magazine, 19 September 2022. Tad Walch, "Should a member of the clergy report sex abuse of the penitent? A look inside the priest-penitent privilege," Deseret News, 19 August 2022.
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