A new lawsuit has been filed against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Arkansas.
According to the lawsuit, in 1993 G.S. was criminally convicted of sexual abuse of a minor in the 3rd degree.
The lawsuit states G.S. abused the victim from 1981-1993, from ages 4-15 years old, for around 12 years of abuse. He accused her of seducing him.
The lawsuit states that at age 15 years old the victim reported the abuse to her bishop in the Pinnacle Mountain Ward, and there was a meeting with the bishop, bishopric counselors, other priesthood holders and the victim’s mother, where the victim was questioned about the abuse. Church leaders implied that she was responsible for her own victimization and said they would wait for the criminal case to resolve before taking any church action. Then according to the lawsuit, church officials allowed the perpetrator to give public testimony in which he asked for forgiveness from the victim, forcing the victim to sit through his act of contrition.
According to the lawsuit, church officials continued to allow the perpetrator to attend regular Sunday meetings, despite the ongoing criminal proceedings and the disclosures by the victim and her mother. The victim was not supervised or protected from the abuser while at church.
Other members of the congregation were not made aware of the pending criminal charges or the danger posed by the perpetrator, the lawsuit states.
