June 22, 2025 research update:
In 2001, the Mormon church abuse help line got 20,000 calls from priesthood leaders, according to historian Lavina Fielding Anderson, recounting a report by a stake high council member speaking at her LDS ward. Church reports 54% growth since 2001. How many calls does the abuse hotline get now?
Floodlit.org is researching the LDS abuse “helpline” or “help line,” a telephone hotline created by Mormon officials in 1995 (see https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/safety/abuse-help-line).
In June 2025, we came across a listing in the Church History Library: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/record/6d1c77fe-bb1b-482c-a56f-1cac09860855/0
Screenshot:
Original source: Lavina Fielding Anderson. “Every Member a Field Anthropologist.” By Common Consent Vol. 9: No. 1 (January 2003), page(s) 1-2.
We have not been able to find that issue. Others are at:
https://mormon-alliance.org/newsletter/newsletter.htm
From an article summary provided by the Church History Library (emphasis ours):
“Anderson contends that weekly Church meetings are ‘an invaluable source of anthropological information.’ A high councilor speaking at her ward let slip some privileged information, i.e., the Church abuse hotline got 20,000 calls from priesthood leaders in 2001.”
This would equate to approximately 55 calls per calendar day, or one every 26 minutes.
While each call does not necessarily signify a unique instance of alleged abuse, if this report is accurate, and the Mormon church has grown by 54 percent (11.4 million to 17.5 million members) since 2001, we wonder how busy the help line is today.
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-statistical-report-2001
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/2024-statistical-report
Who is instructed to call the Mormon abuse help line?
Since 1995, the Mormon church has instructed bishops, stake presidents and other Mormon officials – not abuse victims or witnesses – to call the hotline when they learn of alleged abuse (see https://www.deseret.com/1995/6/9/19176280/lds-hotline-to-help-leaders-deal-with-abuse/).
In 2022, in response to an Associated Press article covering the church’s abuse help line and multiple alleged coverups of child sexual abuse by Mormon officials, the LDS church issued two separate statements:
“The help line is instrumental in ensuring that all legal requirements for reporting are met. It provides a place for local leaders, who serve voluntarily, to receive direction from experts to determine who should make a report and whether they (local leaders) should play a role in that reporting.” (Church Offers Statement on Help Line and Abuse. August 5, 2022. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-offers-statement-help-line-abuse)
“The Church’s abuse help line has everything to do with protecting children and has nothing to do with cover-up.” (Church Provides Further Details about the Arizona Abuse Case. August 27, 2022. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-provides-further-details-about-arizona-abuse-case)
Related articles:
- https://floodlit.org/help-line/ – our evolving article on the Mormon abuse help line
- https://floodlit.org/timeline/ – our growing timeline of events related to sexual abuse in the Mormon church
- https://floodlit.org/a/a183/ – Michael Jensen case report – a bishop allegedly called the help line, but police were allegedly not informed, and multiple children were sexually abused
- https://floodlit.org/a/a003/ – Paul Adams case report – multiple bishops allegedly failed to report child sexual abuse, which continued for years despite church officials’ awareness via the help line
- https://floodlit.org/59-million/ – $59 million, five years: what Mormon officials spent to stop a sex abuse lawsuit
Have you come across any facts or figures about the LDS abuse help line?
Have you ever called it before, or know of someone whose abuse case was referred to the help line? If so, please tell us about it: https://floodlit.org/report-abuse/
If you have any information about the help line, please contact us: https://floodlit.org/contact/
Thank you for shining a light!
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We’re researching the Mormon church helpline, which has existed since 1995. Will publish our findings when finished.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/285538674/
https://www.deseret.com/1995/6/9/19176280/lds-hotline-to-help-leaders-deal-with-abuse
Mentioned in that article is Ralph Neeley. Our case information file on him:
He was an LDS church member who was sentenced to life imprisonment for molesting an eight-year-old in 1992-93 in empty rooms of LDS chapel during church services, and in other locations.
A related civil case was settled out of court, with the terms not disclosed.
https://mormon-alliance.org/casereports/volume1/part1/v1p1c04.htm
Did Neeley’s case directly impact the creation of the telephone help line?
Before 1995, what were LDS bishops instructed to do if someone confessed criminal sexual behavior to them?
Since 1995, how many calls have local church leaders made to the helpline?
Why are the call records destroyed every 24 hours? Has that always been the case or is it a more recent development?
Who actually takes the calls, and how has that changed since 1995?
What counsel is given to those calling the hotline?
These are some of our questions. What else do you think we should try to find out? Do you know of any helpful articles, podcasts etc about the Mormon sexual abuse help line?
Contact us and let us know!