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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 3 april 2018

Mormon leader’s remark on sexual misconduct draws criticism

By BRADY McCOMBS Church spokesman Eric
Associated Press Hawkins declined to com-
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The ment Monday about the
Mormon church faced criticism of Cook’s speech.
more criticism Monday It’s common for church of-
about its approach to sexu- ficials to let conference
al abuse after a top leader speeches stand without
praised the #MeToo move- further explanation.
ment but referred to sexual Helfer Parker was among
misconduct as “non-con- about 1,000 people who
sensual immorality,” a re- marched to the church’s
mark that some say could headquarters Friday in Salt
be interpreted as victim Lake City to demand an
blaming. end to closed-door, one-
Quentin L. Cook, a member on-one meetings between
of a top church governing local adult church leaders
body, made the comment and children and the sexual
this weekend in the only questions they sometimes
mention of the topic during include. They believe the
a two-day Mormon confer- questions in the so-called
ence despite the church worthiness interviews can
facing heavy scrutiny over lead to unhealthy sham-
accusations that a former ing of youth. In guidelines
prominent missionary lead- issued last week for how lo- In this April 1, 2018 photo, Elder Quentin L. Cook speaks during the afternoon session of General
er sexually assaulted two cal leaders should handle Conference in Salt Lake City.
women in the 1980s. sexual abuse reports and Associated Press
Cook was giving a speech one-on-one meetings with cal leaders but that no dis-
about righteousness Sun- youth, the church said cipline was taken against
day, days after The Church most “allegations of abuse Joseph L. Bishop, former
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day made by assault victims director of the Missionary
Saints announced updat- are true and should be tak- Training Center. They are
ed guidelines for reporting en seriously and handled investigating the allega-
sexual abuse. with great care.” tions and have vowed to
“It is commendable that The church included new “bring accountability.”
non-consensual immoral- or more direct instructions Bishop has denied through
ity has been exposed and for local lay leaders, known his son, an attorney, any
denounced,” said Cook, a as bishops, never to dis- wrongdoing. But he can
member of the Quorum of regard a report of abuse be heard apologizing in a
the Twelve Apostles. “Such or encourage a person to secretly recorded conver-
non-consensual immorality stay in a home or situation sation with one of the ac-
is against the laws of God where abuse is suspected. cusers and acknowledging
and of society. A new rule also allows chil- that he molested a sec-
“However, those who un- dren to bring a parent or ond woman, describing it
derstand God’s plan must adult with them during the as backrub that got “too
also oppose consensual one-one-one interviews. frisky.”Bishop told police
immorality, which is also Parents were only allowed investigating a rape claim
a sin,” he said of the faith in a hallway or adjacent from the first woman that
that teaches that sex out- room under old rules. he asked her to expose her-
side marriage is a sin. Youth can still go in alone self but denied raping her.
Even if Cook had good if they choose. Some say Legionaires called Cook’s
intentions, it was a poor those changes don’t go comment troubling.
choice of words that re- far enough. Crystal Legion- “It can very much be con-
flects the church’s lack of aires, a 23-year-old former strued as victim shaming,”
education about appropri- Mormon, who said she she said. “Instead of saying
ate ways to discuss sexual stood up during the church things like sexual assault or
misconduct, said Natasha conference this weekend rape, they’re using euphe-
Helfer Parker, a Mormon and shouted three times, misms as a way to try delib-
who is a certified sex thera- “Stop protecting sexual erately mask the truth. I find
pist in Wichita, Kansas. predators,” to bring atten- that really problematic and
Victims of sexual abuse tion to a topic she thinks the really frustrating.”q
should not be grouped with church is trying to ignore.
“immoral” acts, she said. Legionaires, who said she
“They need very clear lan- identifies as transgender
guage from leaders that and bisexual, said she thinks
places the onus of the re- church officials unfairly
sponsibility on the perpe- stood up for a missionary
trator, not this indirect, kind leader rather than believ-
of vague language,” Helfer ing the women who ac-
Parker said. “That just shows cused him of sexual assault.
the level we’re at as far as Church officials have said
not being able to handle that the women reported
this issue appropriately.” abuse in recent years to lo-