was an LDS church member in Australia; pleaded guilty to trafficking and kidnapping

Case report

In 2005 in Australia, Joseph Atwater, “a man of high standing” in the LDS Church, pled guilty to one count of stalking and one count of kidnapping involving two minors. He exposed himself; showed pornographic images and sketches to the children. “The former missionary sneaked into the teenagers’ house at night without their parents’ knowledge and entered the bedrooms of their younger siblings, the court was told.”

“Judge Campton said Atwater had the support of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and said a bishop described him as “of high-standing in the church, devoted to his wife, family and grandchildren.”

Case facts

Browse the Mormon Sexual Abuse Database

FLOODLIT.org has a free public database of hundreds of reports about people who committed or allegedly committed sex crimes, including sexual abuse, while they were active Mormon church members. You can browse the entire database in all sorts of ways, including by LDS church position, number of victims, places where crimes took place, or criminal/civil case result.

View the Mormon Sexual Abuse Map

International map of locations where active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints perpetrated or allegedly perpetrated sexual abuse or other sex crimes, or where LDS leaders failed or allegedly failed to help abuse survivors.

 

Add information

Search the Mormon Sexual Abuse Database