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    Frequently Asked Questions about Sexual violence and sexual transgression FAQ

If you have a question about the doctrines and policies regarding sexual violence committed by or against members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, our FAQ has the answer.

Question: What is "sexual violence"?

"Sexual violence" is any unwanted act or attempted act toward another person of a sexual nature. It may include such sins as rape, sexual assault, sexual interference, marital rape, date rape, child sexual abuse; or less overt acts such as being subjected to sexualized or suggestive comments, or sexual harassment. Such violence may be directed at women, men, teens, or children.

Question: What is Church doctrine of sexual violence?

Church doctrine forbids sexual violence in the strongest terms. The Church regards all acts of sexual violence as sins, and many are also crimes under secular law.

Question: What are the ecclesiastical consequences for sexual violence?

If a person is accused of incest or the physical or sexual abuse of a child, and Church disciplinary council must be convened. If a person is accused of rape, a disciplinary council must be convened in virtually all cases. When criminal matters are before the courts, the Church may defer a disciplinary council until after the secular law has made its decision—this is to avoid prejudicing the secular courts through the introduction of a Church disciplinary council's decision as evidence. If members are charged with a sexual crime, however, Church leaders should take steps to assure the safety of other members pending the outcome of the legal process.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks (one of the Church's Twelve Apostles, and a former Utah Supreme Court judge) emphasized that the legal maxim of "innocent until proven guilty," and the Christian admonition to "judge not, lest ye be judged" does not absolve members or leaders from taking prudent steps to protect others even before a final determination of guilt or innocence has been made:

There is one qualification to this principle that we should not judge people without an adequate knowledge of the facts. Sometimes urgent circumstances require us to make preliminary judgments before we can get all of the facts we desire for our decision making.

From time to time some diligent defenders deny this reality, such as the writer of a letter to the editor who insisted that certain publicly reported conduct should be ignored because “in this country you are innocent until you are proven guilty.” The presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law is a vital rule to guide the conduct of a criminal trial, but it is not a valid restraint on personal decisions. There are important restraints upon our intermediate judgments, but the presumption of innocence is not one of them.

Some personal decisions must be made before we have access to all of the facts. Two hypotheticals illustrate this principle:

1. If a particular person has been arrested for child sexual abuse and is free on bail awaiting trial on his guilt or innocence, will you trust him to tend your children while you take a weekend trip?

2. If a person you have trusted with your property has been indicted for embezzlement, would you continue to leave him in charge of your life savings?

In such circumstances we do the best we can, relying ultimately on the teaching in modern scripture that we should put our “trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously” (D&C 11꞉12).^[1]

Question: If a person is found "not guilty" in a secular court, does that preclude Church discipline?

No. Church discipline is independent of legal outcomes. A person found innocent by the secular legal system might still be subject to Church discipline.

Question: Is there a different doctrinal standard for men or women? For example, is "sexual purity" regarded as more important for women than for men?

No. Any sexual relations outside of a legal marriage between a man and woman is regarded as an extremely serious matter. This applies to men and women.

Question: Has a woman's "sexual purity" been violated if she is the victim of sexual violence?

Emphatically not. Victims of sexual assault are not guilty of any sin, and should not be subject to Church discipline. They may, however, be encouraged to counsel with their Church leaders for support and help in applying Christ's atonement to comfort and sustain them.

Question: Are women responsible for helping men to control their thoughts or sexual acts?

No. Every person is responsible for his or her own thoughts and acts. Under LDS doctrine, a man cannot resort to the excuse that "she was asking for it," or "she tempted me."

God will not permit us to be tempted beyond our capacity to resist:

Question: What is the LDS doctrine of principle of "modesty"?

Modesty is an attitude toward God and our physical bodies.

Liahona, "Modesty: Reference for the Lord"

Our bodies are the temples of our spirits. Additionally, our bodies are the means by which we can bring souls from the presence of God to their mortal state. When we recognize our bodies as the gifts they are and when we understand the missions they help us fulfill, we protect and honor them by how we act and dress.

In everyday living, immodest clothing such as short shorts, miniskirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire are not appropriate. Men and women—including young men and young women—should wear clothing that covers the shoulder and avoid clothing that is low cut in the front or back or revealing in any other manner. Tight pants, tight shirts, excessively baggy clothing, wrinkled apparel, and unkempt hair are not appropriate. All should avoid extremes in clothing, hairstyle, and other aspects of appearance. We should always be neat and clean, avoiding sloppiness or inappropriate casualness. 1

Modesty is at the center of being pure and chaste, both in thought and deed. Thus, because it guides and influences our thoughts, behavior, and decisions, modesty is at the core of our character. Our clothing is more than just covering for our bodies; it reflects who we are and what we want to be, both here in mortality and in the eternities that will follow.

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Question: Doesn't the Church doctrine of modesty tell women they are responsible for men's impure thoughts?

Some women certainly report receiving this message (see next question).<br
A review of official materials, however, demonstrates that both women and men are encouraged to show respect for their bodies. This respect arises out of a conviction that the body is a sacred gift, and out of the need to show self-respect and honor to God.

Women probably hear more about modesty because social pressures and styles tend to encourage immodesty in women more than men. (By the same token, men hear more about avoiding pornography than women, because men are simply more frequently vulnerable to this sin.)

The Church's publication of official standards for youth reads:

Your body is sacred. Respect it and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show that you know how precious your body is. You can show that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ and that you love Him.

Prophets of God have continually counseled His children to dress modestly. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and you can be a good influence on others. Your dress and grooming influence the way you and others act.

Never lower your standards of dress. Do not use a special occasion as an excuse to be immodest. When you dress immodestly, you send a message that is contrary to your identity as a son or daughter of God. You also send the message that you are using your body to get attention and approval....

Immodest clothing is any clothing that is tight, sheer, or revealing in any other manner. Young women should avoid short shorts and short skirts, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and clothing that does not cover the shoulders or is low-cut in the front or the back. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. Young men and young women should be neat and clean and avoid being extreme or inappropriately casual in clothing, hairstyle, and behavior. They should choose appropriately modest apparel when participating in sports. The fashions of the world will change, but the Lord’s standards will not change.^[2]

Church President Gordon B. Hinckley said:

How truly beautiful is a well-groomed young woman who is clean in body and mind. She is a daughter of God in whom her Eternal Father can take pride. How handsome is a young man who is well groomed. He is a son of God, deemed worthy of holding the holy priesthood of God.^[3]

Question: Then why do some women report receiving the message that they are responsible for males' thoughts?

There are probably several answers to this question:

1. Most teaching in the Church is done by lay members at a local level. These lay members may teach or say things that either intentionally or unintentionally give this impression, even though it is not Church doctrine.
2. Women receive many messages from many sources. The Church is not the only source of such messages, and some may draw conclusions from a variety of influences (e.g., parents, friends, school teachers, the media) and attribute them all to "the Church."
3. In an effort to be frank and to inform young women of the realities of the male perspective, teachers may point out that provocative or immodest dress may be likely to stir unwanted thoughts in male observers. It can be a short step from stating this as a fact, to implying that therefore young women are responsible for men's reactions and choices. They are not--if, however, a woman intentionally dresses to stir sexual desire, that is a sin in and of itself. This provides no excuse, however, for a male who chooses to act on the temptation. One sin does not mitigate or excuse another.

Question: What have Church leaders said to men about the treatment of women?

Church leaders have long been emphatic that no LDS male ought to treat any woman with anything but complete dignity and respect.

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Notes

1. ↑ Dallin H. Oaks, "Judge Not and Judging," fireside address, BYU (1 March 1998).
2. ↑ Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Dress and Appearance," For The Strength of Youth.
3. ↑ Gordon B. Hinckley, "https://www.lds.org/new-era/2006/11/the-body-is-sacred?lang=eng The Body is Sacred," Ensign (November 2006).