smac97

I understand the impulse behind “Not all men, but enough men” — male-perpetrated sexual violence is a serious problem and the numbers are higher overall. But we have to be consistent. We now have a documented list of over 300 female teachers (mostly in the U.S.) who have been accused or convicted of sexually abusing minor students. That’s just one narrow category (female educators) over a relatively short time period. There are many more cases outside of schools. Female-perpetrated sexual abuse is real, especially against boys and male teens. So if we apply the same logic: “Not all women, but enough women do it… therefore women should treat all men as potential threats” — Why wouldn’t the same standard mean men should treat all women as potential sexual predators? That logic falls apart quickly. We don’t say: “Not all Black men, but enough…” → therefore treat all Black men as potential criminals. “Not all Muslims, but enough…” → therefore treat all Muslims as potential terrorists. We rightly reject those as unfair stereotypes, even when troubling statistics exist within those groups. The same principle should apply to sex. Painting half the human population with the brush of “potential predator” based on the worst actors is prejudicial and corrosive to human relationships. The healthier approach is to judge individuals by their character and behavior, while still acknowledging real patterns and taking reasonable precautions and mitigation efforts (e.g., don’t be alone in vulnerable situations with anyone you don’t know well, pass and vigorously enforce laws, etc.). Blanket suspicion of an entire sex is not wisdom. It is generalized prejudice. And I think it is beneath Latter-day Saints to participate in it. The “enough men do it” framing is often used to justify fear and lowered standards of evidence toward men as a class. If we flipped the genders, most people would immediately recognize it as unfair. That double standard is worth examining. Men have higher overall rates of violent victimization (except for sexual assault). Men commit the overwhelming majority of violent crimes (typically 80–90% for serious violence). Per this study (kind of old, in 2000) (see also here, here, here) : Women were slightly more likely than men to use one or more acts of physical aggression against their heterosexual partner (effect size d = -0.05, meaning a small female advantage in any aggression). Women also used such acts more frequently in some measures. However, men were significantly more likely to inflict injuries (d = +0.15). Overall, 62% of those injured by a partner were women. In short: When measuring any physical aggression (pushing, slapping, throwing objects, etc.), women perpetrate at rates equal to or slightly higher than men in intimate relationships. When measuring severe outcomes (injuries requiring medical attention), men are clearly more violent. The persistent large gap in serious violent offending (homicide, aggravated assault, robbery) is best explained by a combination of: Physical capacity (strength, size, testosterone-driven aggression) — men are far more capable of successfully committing physically dominant violence. Behavioral tendencies rooted in biology (greater male variability in aggression, evolutionary pressures around status and competition). When physical differences are reduced (e.g., domestic settings, weapons, or non-physical coercion), female perpetration rates rise substantially. This supports the idea that ability/capacity is a major factor. Thus, many women engage in violence. But men’s greater physical capacity and aggression-related biology make them disproportionately responsible for the most damaging and lethal forms of violence. This explains, I think, why overall violent crime statistics show men as ~85%+ of serious violent offenders, even while female perpetration is far from negligible in certain contexts. This article also merits some attention: The 1 % of the population accountable for 63 % of all violent crime convictions And this one: The Case for Incarceration Some excerpts: To sum up: When physical differences are reduced — such as in domestic settings, through the use of weapons, or via non-physical coercion — female perpetration of violence does rise substantially. Studies like Archer’s 2000 meta-analysis show that in intimate relationships, women perpetrate physical aggression at rates equal to or slightly higher than men for minor-to-moderate acts (slapping, pushing, throwing objects). CDC data on “made to penetrate” similarly shows women committing the large majority of those incidents against male victims. However, this does not mean women would commit serious violence at rates comparable to men if they had equal physical capacity. Even in contexts where strength gaps are narrowed, men still cause the overwhelming majority of serious injuries and homicides. Men’s greater average upper-body strength (roughly 50-60% more), higher testosterone levels, and greater variability in aggression-related traits give them a significant biological "advantage" in inflicting severe harm. Men go to war, enter the police force, fight fires, participate in violent sports, etc. more that women do because they are, broadly, better at such things than women. This is neither praise nor condemnation. It's just a statement of reality. The Cicero Institute’s analysis reinforces a related point: crime is highly concentrated among a small group of high-rate offenders. While women do commit violence (especially in intimate or low-physical-demand contexts), they represent a much smaller share of chronic, high-volume, serious violent offenders — the group responsible for the bulk of societal harm. This pattern holds across decades of data and is not easily explained away by socialization alone. In short: Plenty of women resort to violence, particularly when physical barriers are lower. But men’s biology makes them far more effective at causing serious injury and death. This explains why men account for roughly 85%+ of serious violent offenders in official statistics, while female perpetration becomes more visible in settings where raw strength matters less. This reality supports treating individuals based on behavior rather than blanket generalizations about either sex. Thanks, -Smac

Well, it's a difficult topic. And it takes two to tango... That was in response to Bluebell, who announced she was withdrawing from the discussion. Habit Ten seemed apt as to her. I have been attempting to understand them. And I think I do to some extent. I end up disagreeing with them. As for "ugliness," I don't know how else to characterize acknowledged prejudice. It's an ugly thing. Well, I'm open to learning. I am still in the thread. Still attempting to converse. With people who are calling me a "potential rapist." Not because of anything I have ever done or said, but simply because I am male. There's a word for that. Thanks, -Smac

I explained it: "Seems like women as sexual predators is a problem in our society. I'm still not persuaded, though, that we should view all women as categorical "potential" sexual predators until and unless they demonstrate that they are not. Safety and mitigation measures should be utilized, definitely." Is that what you take away from that? No. To respectfully rebut open prejudice and collective and indiscriminate guilt. To promote and advocate for situational awareness and safety and mitigation measures. Some black men commit rape, but I don't think anyone is willing to say "Ah, then all black men are potential rapists." Some women are sexual predators, but nobody is saying "Ah, then all women are potential sexual predators." You raise the specter of indiscriminately imputing collective guilt to women as a category, but you don't actually do it. You are, however, willing to do that to men. That seems like a double standard. We all have different perspectives. Okay. This need not involve telling boys "Women are all potential sexual predators, until and unless they affirmatively demonstrate that they are not." Nor this: "You are, each and every one of you, a potential rapist and child molester, until and unless you affirmatively demonstrate that you are not." I am troubled at messaging about males as a category (that by dint of have an X chromosome, and not based on anything they have actually done, they are justifiably described - apparently to their faces? - as "potential rapists," "potential child molesters," and so on) may have on impressionable young men. Bluebell dismisses abstaining from such messaging as "being nice and not hurting a man's feelings." Perhaps this messaging does more than hurt feelings. Perhaps it runs the risk of demoralizing and alienating young men. Perhaps this is aptly characterized as prejudice and misandry. Perhaps it is an unhealthy state of affairs to have advocacy of such ugly sentiments being publicly pronounced and endorsed by Latter-day Saint women in 2026. Meanwhile, none of you is promoting the idea of going and telling young women "You are, each and every one of you, a potential child molester and sexual predator, until and unless you affirmatively demonstrate that you are not." That would, in my mind, constitute misogyny, and is also quite a bad idea. Sure. We never did sleepovers, either hosting them or sending our children to them. I am very enthusiastic about promoting situational awareness and safety and mitigation measures. I think we can do that without resorting to open prejudice, collective and indiscriminate guilt, and transmitting demoralizing and alienating messaging to young men. There are some real costs that come with such things. I can't stop you from concluding that, but it seems hard to square that with this: I've seen the "chronic anxiety and hypervigilance" and attendant impairment to "healthy relationships with good men" that comes with prejudicial and inflammatory misandry. It really is quite damaging. And it's not necessary. We can encourage safety and mitigation measures without it. I am sorry that you feel that way. That blows past open prejudice and misandry and dives headlong into misanthropy against the children of God. I don't think that's how the Lord wants us to view each other. I am grateful my sons have not read what you and Bluebell have said in this thread. I hope that they do not encounter the messaging you are advocating. That this ugliness is coming from Latter-day Saint women I have admired and respected in virtually all other respects is quite troubling. Thanks, -Smac

That would be an incorrect assumption. Also an incorrect assumption. Understood. But I don't think I enjoy such a privilege. I was attempting to have a difficult discussion and share thoughts, with the objective being to suss out perspectives and opinions that may vary from or challenge my own. I was not intending to present my perspective and thoughts as definitively resolving anything here. I apologize if I gave that impression. We're having a discussion, that's all. Or we were. Yes. Quite a bit, in fact: My comments have delved into the adverse consequences for women ("creating chronic anxiety and hypervigilance" and "harder to build healthy relationships with men") and men ("can lead to unfair prejudice"). That is not my motive. Understood. Abbie Jane Swogger; Abigail Holloway; Adrienne Laflamme; Alexandria Vera; Alison Mosbeck; Alison Peck; Allenna Ward; Amanda Athey; Amber Jennings; Amber Marshall; Amira Sa’Di; Amy Beck; Amy Bramhall; Amy Elder; Amy Lilley; Amy McElhenny; Amy N. Miller; Amy Northcutt; Amy Yarbrough; Andrea Fox; Andrea Martinez; Angela Christine Coffey; Angela Comer; Angela Palmer; Angela Stellwag; Anna Bettencourt; Anne Knopf; April Watson; Ashley Hall; Ashley Flores; Autumn Leathers; Barbara Anderson; Becci Hill; Beth Ann Chester; Beth Raymond; Beth Shepherd; Bethany Sherrill; Brandy Lynn Gonzales; Brenda Baillargeon; Brenda Osborne; Bridgett Szychulski; Brittni Colleps; Cameo Patch; Carmen Brown; Carol Flannigan; Carrie McCandless; Carrie O’Conner; Cathy Heminghaus; Celeste Emerick; Chandra Franks; Christel C. Gravlin; Christie Elliot; Christina Gallagher; Christina Oliver; Christine Duda; Christine Scarlett; Christine Jouini; Christine McCallum; Christine Spaich; Christy Anne Brown; Christy Martin; Claire Richards; Courtney Bowles; Courtney Jarrell; Cris Morris; Crissy Hisey; Crystal Wells; Cynthia Horvath; Danielle Jones; Danielle Watkins; Darcie Esson; Dawn Welter; Deanna Bobo; Deborah Reeder; Debra LaFave; Denise Keesee; Diana Canter; Donna Washburne; Dorothy Dixon; Elisa Martinelli; Elisha Kingsley; Elizabeth Livesay; Elizabeth Miklosovic; Elizabeth Munn; Elizabeth Stow; Ellen Garfield; Ellen Niemiec; Emily Elizabeth Housley; Emily Morris; Erica Baker; Erica Rutters; Erica Umosella; Erin McLean; Erin Queen; Ethel Anderson; Franca and Antonia Munoz-Juvera; Gail E. Gagne; Gay Lyn Turley; Georgianne Harrell; Gina Marie Watring; Gwen Cardozo; Haven Kirkpatrick; Heather Lea Burroughs; Heather Ingram; Heather Kennedy; Heather Thorsby; Heather Lynne Zeo; Hope Jacoby; Hope Johns; Jacquelyn Faith Garrison; Jamie Armstrong; Jamie Waite; Janelle Batkins; Janelle Bird; Janet Hughes; Janet Parker; Jaymee Wallace; Jennifer Cisco; Jennifer Dempsey; Jennifer Dorland; Jennifer Espinosa; Jennifer Mally; Jennifer Rice; Jennifer Tarkenton; Jennifer Whiting; Jessica Bailey Wishnask; Joan Marie Sladky; Jodi Church; Julia Lund; Julie A. Denno; Julie Pritchett; Kalyn Darby Thompson; Kandace Christopher; Kanesa Hopkins; Karen Patton; Karen Robbins; Kasey Johnes; Katherine J. Harder; Katherine Hicks; Katherine Tew; Kathy White; Katie Cross; Katryna Martin; Kellie Ann Cormican; Kelly Ann Garcia; Kelly Dalecki; Kelsey Peterson; Kenzi Friday; Kesha D. Manuel; Kimberly Lynch; Kinsley Wentzky; Kirsten Kinley; Kristen Margrif; Kristi Oakes; Kristy Sanchez-Trujillo; Kristyn Breeds; Lakina Stutts; Laura Lynn Findlay; Laura Pace; Lauren Cosgrove; Lauren Harrington-Cooper; Leslie Baird; Linda Hardan; Linda Nef; Linda Pithyou; Lindsay Massaro; Lisa Lavoie; Lisa Robyn Marinelli; Lynn Saunders; Marcie L. Rousseau; Marcy R. Fisher; Margaret De Barraicua; Maria Guzman Hernandez; Maria Saco; Mariella Brenlla; Marla Gurecki-Haskins; Mary Jo Spack; Mary Kay Letourneau; Megan Mahoney; Megan Sainsbury; Megan Snipes; Melinda Deluca; Melinda Dennehy; Melissa Andreini; Melissa Bare; Melissa Chase; Melissa Deel; Melissa Diana Koeh; Melissa Lavender; Melissa Dawn McCord; Melissa Moss; Melissa Snow; Melissa Weber; Meredith Hollen; Meredith Kane; Michelle Farley; Michelle Kush; Michelle Morano; Michelle VanMeter; Michelle Zulkowsky; Natalie Fraxedas; Natasha Sizow; Nicole Barnhart; Nicole Dufault; Nicole Kurowski; Nicole Long; Nicole Pomerleau; Pamela Balogh; Pamela Diehl-Moore; Pamela Smart; Pamela Rogers Turner; Rachel Burkhart; Rachel Holt; Rachelle Heenan; Rachelle Vantucci; Rebecca Boicelli; Rebecca Becker and Maria Zurita; Rebecca Bogard; Rebecca Ann Bramlett; Rebecca Lee Kelley; Rebecca Noonan; Rebekah Todd; Rebecca Robertson-Shaffer; Regina McKay; Rhianna Ellis; Rita Brum; Robin Gialanella; Robin Winkis; Rosanna Encinas Brown; Samantha Solomon; Sandra Binkley; Sandra Borrego; Sandra “Beth” Geisel; Sarah Bridges; Sarah Joel; Sarah Raymo; Sarah L. Tolzien; Shannon Best; Shannon Herring; Shannon Young; Sharon Rutherford; Shebana Rajput; Shelley Allen; Sheila Vazquez; Sheral Smith; Sherry Brians; Sheryl A. Namahine; Stacy Hopkins; Stephanie Adams; Stephanie Burleson; Stephanie Giambelluca; Stephanie Diane Harris; Stephanie Ragusa; Stephanie Seabury; Stephanie Ann Stein; Stephanie Jo Walters; Summer Hansen; Susan Clickner; Tabitha Adams; Tamara Ryman; Tara Driscoll; Tawni Wimberley; Teresa Engelbach; Tina Mason; Toni Allexy; Toni Woods; Traci Tapp; Valynne Bowers; Wendie Schweikert; and Yvette Starzyk. This is a list of female school teachers who have been accused and/or convicted of sexually assaulting minor students. And this list was compiled in 2014. A few more since then (mostly, but not exclusively, teachers) : Maris Nichols, the Georgia teacher arrested for allegedly R*PING a student in a classroom closet, has been arrested AGAIN on additional charges after being accused of abusing 5 MORE children. Nichols allegedly r*ped multiple other children, including at a golf course and in a Hummer. She also reportedly sent explicit pictures of herself to children. Samantha J. Watson, of Eastvale in Riverside County {California}, was booked into jail on Friday on charges of sending harmful material to a juvenile, oral copulation and digital penetration, according to authorities. She was taken into custody without incident. A first-grade teacher in Washington state allegedly admitted to her husband that she cheated on him with a 16-year-old student — with whom she had sex in his truck, according to court documents. Mackenzie Naught, 25, allegedly fessed up to her hubby Saturday night, just hours before being arrested on child sex crimes on Sunday, the Spokesman-Review reported. Ashley Fisler, 36. former middle school teacher at Orchard Valley Middle School, New Jersey accused of r*ping her 14-year-old male student six times. Had s*x with him in her car and inside the classroom. Exchanged over 7,500 pages of explicit incriminating text messages. The {Georgia Bureau of Investigation} has arrested and charged Danielle Weaver, age 29, of Leesburg, GA, with Child Molestation and Improper Sexual Contact by Employee, Agent, or Foster Parent. On February 4, 2026, the Leesburg Police Department requested the GBI to assist with an investigation into allegations of inappropriate contact between a teacher and a juvenile student at Lee County High School. A young Michigan prep school teacher has admitted having sex with a student she was tutoring at his home — a “disgusting” act she even filmed, calling it “not my best thinking.” Jocelyn Sanroman, now 27, of Pontiac, was sentenced to four to 15 years in prison on Tuesday after earlier pleading guilty to third-degree sexual conduct, FOX 2 Detroit reported. She was arrested after letting slip to a colleague nearly a year ago that she’d had sex with a 16-year-old male student she was tutoring in 2023, when she was also teaching at Oakside Prep Academy in Waterford Township. A former Texas high school teacher and coach who was caught kissing a 16-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to having an improper relationship with two teenagers, authorities said. Shelby Dawn Lashombe, 25, a former teacher at Valley Mills High School in Valley Mills, pleaded guilty to two counts of improper relationship between educator and student, the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE. A Louisiana elementary school teacher has been hit with 25 sex charges — including first-degree rape — involving two young students. Marisa Noel, 31, was arrested and charged Monday following a two-month investigation into her disturbing behavior with a fifth-grader she taught at Teche Elementary School in Breaux Bridge, the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office said. A disgraced Ohio high school teacher copped to having a twisted months-long sexual relationship with her 15-year-old student, whom she bombarded with thousands of lurid texts declaring her love. Jamelah Daboubi, a former teacher at Horizon Science Academy in Columbus, pleaded guilty to gross sexual imposition and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in Franklin County Common Pleas Court last month, according to court documents obtained by WBNS. A disgraced small-town mayor sent several frantic texts to her family and the mother of a 16-year-old boy after she was allegedly caught having sex with the teen at a booze-fueled pool party, according to a report. Misty Roberts, the 43-year-old former leader of DeRidder, La., texted her ex-husband Duncan Clanton after her own son allegedly caught her committing the disturbing sex crime at a 2024 party, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Daily Mail. A former New Jersey high school English teacher confessed to sexually assaulting two of her former teenage students. Julie Rizzitello, 37, who had previously worked at Wall Township High School, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sexual assault for incidents that began in 2017, according to a Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office news release. Prosecutors are expected to seek a 10-year prison term and mandatory registration as a sex offender when Rizzitello is sentenced on January 9, 2026. A woman accused of having sex with a 14-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to one count of statutory rape and has received a suspended, two-year prison sentence. Shelby Carol Ann Flores, 24, of Rocky Top was indicted in August by an Anderson County grand jury for having sex with the boy from May 1, 2013, through July 29, 2014. A woman who videotaped as she forced a 9-year-old girl to perform sex acts on her husband has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, the statutory maximum sentence, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox. Dawn Greenwood, 39, pleaded guilty in October to production of child pornography. According to plea papers, Ms. Greenwood used a cell phone to videotape her husband, Shon Greenwood, and the 9-year-old child, who’d been living at the couple’s home. A San Francisco Bay Area woman dubbed by police, prosecutors, and victims as the "party mom" is being sentenced to state prison Thursday after she was convicted for hosting alcohol-fueled parties for her teenage son and friends during the pandemic in which she encouraged child sexual assaults. Shannon Marie O'Connor, also known as Shannon Bruga, was convicted in March of over 60 crimes, including facilitating the forcible sexual assault of one child onto another child, child endangerment, annoying or molesting a child, and dissuading witnesses from testifying. A Michigan woman is facing charges for allegedly using Xbox to foster an inappropriate relationship with an 11-year-old boy. Jessica Carlton, 44, of Grand Rapids is charged with two counts of attempting to lure or entice a child and a dozen counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Investigators believe the alleged relationship began in May 2013, when they say the Grand Rapids woman contacted the then 11-year-old boy through Xbox Live. Authorities say the two would play video games together online. Eventually, investigators say the relationship took a turn, and Carlton and the boy shared sexually explicit phone conversations and began exchanging lewd photos and text messages. Prosecutors say Carlton also gave the boy clothes, debit cards and jewelry. A woman who raped, tortured and murdered a 12-year-old girl in Paris three years ago was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Friday, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV. Dahbia Benkired, a 27-year-old woman from Algeria, must spend at least 30 years in prison for her crimes against Lola Daviet, BFMTV reported. A 28-year-old woman has been sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to breaking into a man’s apartment and raping him in his sleep. The Smoking Gun reported that Chantae Marie Gilman will serve nine months in jail after pleading guilty earlier this week. The crime happened in June of 2013 inside the victim’s Seattle apartment. Gilman has admitted to having sex with the man as he slept. Stephanie Peterson, a former middle school teacher, was arrested in February 2018 for allegedly having a secret sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy, police said. The teen told investigators in Volusia County, Florida, that Peterson, 26, would give him marijuana. In 2012, Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader-turned-teacher Sarah Jones pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student. Jones taught at Dixie Heights High School in northern Kentucky. An Illinois high school soccer coach was accused in March 2018 of sexually assaulting three students. Authorities said 28-year-old Cori Beard, a part-time assistant coach for both the boys and girls soccer teams, was allegedly involved in "unlawful sexual acts with three current Vernon Hills High School boys." She was charged with 12 counts of criminal sexual assault. An Oklahoma high-school teacher was arrested for allegedly having sex with a male student, after authorities said evidence was found on the boy's phone. The teacher, Hunter Day, age 22, faces second-degree rape, possession of child pornography and other charges. In 2016, Alaina Ferguson, 23, was charged with sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy. He allegedly told police that the relationship was sparked by a note he left on an algebra test in which he wrote his Snapchat user name. Brianne Altice, a former Utah high school English teacher, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing three teenage boys who had been students. Altice was initially free on bail after her 2013 arrest, but was jailed after allegations emerged that she continued a sexual relationship with one of the boys. Haeli Noelle Wey, a former Texas math teacher, pleaded guilty in February 2017 to having improper relationships with two of her 17-year-old students. Wey was 28 when she was accused of having months-long sexual relationships with the victims. She was sentenced to 10 years probation. Iowa substitute teacher Mary Haglin was arrested July 22, 2016 and charged with having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old boy. Virginia Houston Hinckley, a 26-year-old St. Augustine, Fla. high school teacher, was charged with having unlawful sexual activity with a 16-year-old boy in 2015. The two exchanged nude photos, according to the student, and allegedly had sex in a park. A former teacher at a Detroit-area high school accused of having sex with a 15-year-old student was sentenced to 6 to 15 years in prison in 2015. Authorities said Kathryn Ronk, 30, engaged in sexual acts with the teenager in classrooms at Bishop Foley High School in Madison Heights. Melody Lippert, 38, and Michelle Ghirelli, 30, were sentenced to probation after having sex with students on a November 2014 beach trip in California. Both Lippert and Ghirelli worked at South Hills High School, located outside of Los Angeles. Police in Florida arrested Port St. Lucie High School teacher Tiffany Michelle Geliga in May 2017 after a 17-year-old male student alleged the two had sex in her car on two separate occasions. Stacy Schuler, a 33-year-old high school health teacher from southwest Ohio, was convicted of having sex with five students in 2011. According to The Middletown Journal newspaper, a former high school football player testified that he and a friend had sex with Schuler at her home. Megan Crafton of Indiana was sentenced to probation after a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male student. The part-time assistant cheerleading coach at Shelbyville High School admitted to performing oral sex on the teen in her car in January 2012. Police arrested 36-year-old South Carolina teacher Carole Ann Hope in 2011 after she allegedly had sex with a 14-year-old former middle-school student. Ashley Anderson, a high school teacher in Iowa, was sentenced to up to five years in prison for inappropriate sexual relationships with four male students in 2011. The teacher, then 24, sent students nude photographs of herself and had sex with one student at his home, according to a complaint. In March 2012, Gabriela Compton got lifetime probation after having sexual contact with two students. Police say Compton sent a photo of her breasts to male students at Western Valley Middle School in Arizona. In the course of an investigation, officers learned Compton previously had sexual contact with two male students, ages 13 and 14. California high school teacher Nadia Christine Diaz was sentenced in 2012 to three years of probation and 30 days in an adult offender work program for having sex with a 14-year-old student in 2009. Denver-area high school teacher Lauren Redfern was sentenced to sex offender treatment in August 2012 after she was caught having sex with a 17-year-old male student in the teacher's bathroom. New Jersey high school teacher Kristin Leone, 26, was sentenced to a year in jail in 2013 after she pleaded guilty to having sex with a 16-year-old student. Kathyrin Murray, 29, a West Houston middle school teacher, was sentenced to a year in jail after having sex with a 15-year-old boy at his home in 2012 while his parents were away. Police said they later discovered that Murray had sex with the same boy at a hotel on the night of a school dance and in her classroom. Kimberly Naquin, a geography teacher, pleaded guilty in March 2017 to having a sexual relationship with a female student, then 16, while employed at Destrehan High in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. Former Osceola County, Florida, teacher Kacy Wilson pleaded guilty to having sex with a 16-year-old student and sending pornographic photos to the teen in 2012. Loni Marie Folks, a Missouri elementary school teacher, pleaded guilty in 2008 to having sex with a 16-year-old student. The teen was a foreign exchange student from Italy staying in the home of Folks and her husband. An Oregon Christian school teacher had a sexual relationship with a student when he was as young as 15, authorities said. The teacher, Andrea Baber, also allegedly gave they boy marijuana. Soap opera actress-turned New Jersey high school drama teacher Lisa Glide was sentenced to five years probation for having sex with a high school student twice off campus in 2008. The 17-year-old victim says he pursued her. Jamee Hiatt, a former Michigan elementary and middle school teacher, admitted to having a sexual relationship with a student beginning in 2014, when he was 13. Officials in Angelina County, Texas, say 38-year-old Heather Robertson had sex with at least six high school students, two at the same time and two others on multiple occasions, between November 2016 and April 2017 at her Lufkin home. North Carolina math teacher Erin McAuliffe, 25, was accused in May 2017 of having inappropriate sexual contact with three male students who attended Rocky Mount Preparatory School, where she taught. Nataly Lopez, a New Jersey middle school teacher, was accused in June 2017 of having sexual relations with one of her male students. She allegedly engaged in sexual acts with the student in her vehicle on two occasions and exchanged sexually explicit messages with him online. Laura Ramos, a Connecticut special education teacher, was charged in June 2017 with engaging in a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student in the special ed program. Nikki Varney, a science teacher at Williamsburg High School in Pennsylvania, was charged on Aug. 25, 2017 with eight counts related to unlawful sex with a minor, including two charges of institutional sexual assault. A 15-year-old boy told school officials and investigators that he and Varney had sex in a state park and at her home during the previous month. A woman was arrested and charged with being drunk in public after police said she was caught having sex with an unconscious man. The woman, 36-year-old Kimberly M. Jackson, was later released on bond. An Ankeny High School teacher was arrested Friday on a charge of sexual exploitation by a school employee. Amanda Caye Dreier, 27, had an ongoing sexual relationship with an 18-year-old male student who graduated from the high school in the spring, according to police. She was an English teacher at the school. The family of a 16-year-old Tennessee boy has filed a $4.5 million lawsuit against Roane County Schools and contractor Compass One Services of Tennessee for negligence after they say a female janitor at the teen's former high school raped him during school hours, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. The complaint alleges that Jessica Galyon, a married mom who was arrested Feb. 23 on sexual battery and statutory rape charges, started talking with the boy in August, coerced him into becoming Facebook friends, then started sending "flirtatious and sexual messages" to him, despite the teen telling her her advances were "unwelcome." Carissa Smith, a teacher at the Dixon School District in MO was arrested on 19 charges including r*pe after she was caught allegedly paying students to have s*x with her. She also reportedly smoked marijuana with students. A teacher at South Iredell High School was charged after having a sexual relationship with a student, according to the Iredell Sheriff's Office. The investigation began when an Iredell County deputy saw a suspicious vehicle parked in an undeveloped residential area. The deputy said a woman, later identified as 37-year-old Julianna Ortiz Mills, was standing next to the vehicle and a younger male was sitting inside. On Tuesday afternoon Mobile County sheriff's deputies arrested a former Faith Academy teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student, according to authorities. According to the Mobile County Sheriff's Office, 33-year-old Christina Busby was no longer working at Faith Academy when authorities arrested her Tuesday. Eileen McBrien, 62, will spend six years in jail after a jury found her guilty of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. A mother accused of raping her own children will be behind bars until she’s at least 90 years old. The son of Angela Montgomery, 53, gave a strong victim impact statement in her sentencing hearing Wednesday. A Florida woman has been arrested on Tuesday after she allegedly raped and had a sexual relationship with an 11-year-old boy starting in 2014 and getting pregnant as a result. Marissa A. Mowry, 25, was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office and taken to the county’s jail, Fox 13 reported. A Lafayette woman is accused of videotaping herself performing oral sex on a 1-year-old boy. According to court documents, Jessica McCain told investigators that she recorded the sex act on a borrowed cell phone. A twenty-four-year-old teacher accused of having sex with a thirteen-year-old student turned herself in to police on Wednesday morning, after a warrant was issued for her arrest. Alexandria Vera, 24, is charged with continuous sex abuse of a child. Harris County prosecutors said Vera had sex with a 13-year-old boy who was also her student. The victim turned 14 after the alleged crimes. Julianne Graham, 25, of Burlington pleaded not guilty Friday to three felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor in connection with a high school student. A former teacher at Pasadena High School has been charged with having an improper relationship with a student, according to court documents. Ashley Zehnder resigned from the school on Oct. 9, officials with the Pasadena Independent School District said. Zehnder, 24, began a sexual relationship with a male student in late May, at the end of the last school year, according to Harris County court documents. Sarpy County woman Christina M. Greer was found guilty of sexually assaulting two boys, ages 12 and 13, and was sentenced in June 2021 to 64 to 102 years in prison. The abuse took place at her home in Papillion, Nebraska, during sleepovers with friends of her daughter. A woman has been found guilty of having sex with her teenage foster son. Kim Carrera, 50, was caught with the 17-year-old in her car by police late at night in a parking lot. A machete-wielding Montana woman broke into her ex-boyfriend’s home, directed him to disrobe, and then forced him to have sex with her, according to police. As detailed in a criminal complaint, Samantha Mears, 19, entered the victim’s Great Falls residence Friday when he was not home. When the man returned, Mears “confronted him from behind with a machete.” Mears then allegedly told the man to “get on the bed and remove his clothes.” A former Bastrop High School teacher was arrested last week after being accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student, according to court records. Hailey Pardy, 25, was arrested by Round Rock police Thursday after she was indicted by a Bastrop County grand jury for allegedly having an improper relationship with a student, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The married Texas teacher who famously flashed a broad smile in her mugshot after being accused of romping with a 17-year-old student pleaded guilty this week to the crime. Sarah Madden Fowlkes, 28, submitted her plea Thursday to a Caldwell County judge, who has yet to accept it, according to FOX 29 San Antonio. Clark County School District police arrested a middle school teacher Friday. A district spokeswoman confirmed the arrest of Nicole Wilfinger, who chairs the math department at Molasky Junior High School, located on Gilmore Avenue between Buffalo Road and Cimarron Road. Wilfinger, 37, is being held at the Clark County Detention Center on $60,000 bail. She faces three charges of statutory sexual seduction by a person older than 21, one charge of engaging in sexual conduct with a student between 14 and 15 years of age, one charge of engaging in sexual conduct with student between 16 and 17 years of age, and three charges of lewdness with a child older than 14. A former middle school lunch lady accused of repeatedly molesting a 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty today to four counts of rape of a child as jury selection was getting underway for her trial, a spokesman for Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey said. Janelle Foley, 38, was sentenced by Norfolk Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Connors to 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 years in prison on the first count, to be followed by five years’ probation for the remaining three counts. The small community of Englewood has been rocked by the disturbing news of a woman indicted by the McMinn County Grand Jury on numerous charges related to sexual encounters with McMinn Central High School students. ... Melissa Blair, a 38-year-old from Englewood, is charged with solicitation of a minor, 18 counts of aggravated statutory rape, 4 counts of human trafficking by patronizing prostitution, and forfeiture of personal property, according to the McMinn County Sheriff's Office. A Connecticut woman is facing charges after police say she had sex with her friend’s 10-year-old son while baby-sitting for the family in Meriden. Police said Marybeth Rataic, 25, of Willimantic, sexually assaulted the boy three to four times over two weeks in August at the family home in Meriden while she baby-sat four children while their mother was in the hospital giving birth. A school nurse in Maryland faces charges after she allegedly admitted to performing oral sex on several students, according to officials. Samantha Marsh, who works at Crisfield High School & Academy, was arrested Tuesday following allegations she had sexual encounters with four students in the back of her van, news station WBOC reported. Metro Police released Monday the mugshot of a female teacher accused of having sex with a student. Kristy Yegge, a teacher at Veterans Tribute Career and Technical Academy, was arrested Thursday, Metro said. Police said the 38-year-old committed a sex act with a student between the age of 16 and 17. Parents are shocked by what has happened. An elementary school teacher in Arizona has pleaded guilty to having an on-going sexual relationship with one of her 6th grade students. Brittany Zamora, 28, pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of sexual contact with a minor, attempted molestation and public sexual indecency, according to court records. Zamora was arrested in March 2018 after her victim's parents discovered several sexually charged messages on his phone. The boy's stepmother began noticing the 13-year-old boy was acting mysteriously and began shutting his door at night. A former teaching aide in Texas is being accused of engaging in sexual activity with three male students ages 17 and under -- including one alleged encounter that happened after she put her young child to bed inside her home. Ashlyn Faye Bell has been charged with two counts of improper relationship between educator and student and one count of sexual assault of a child stemming from the alleged incidents at her New Boston home last year, according to the Texarkana Gazette. A teaching assistant has been jailed for 60 years after she raped an 11-year-old boy. Jessica-Jewel Corin Benton was arrested in September 2016 when she was caught by another student who told his mother what he had seen. A former Wisconsin high school teacher had sex with one of her students during her fiance's bachelor party, police say. Sara Domres, 28, of Sullivan, was released on $1,000 bail after a court appearance Friday. Her next court date is May 4. The New Berlin West High School teacher has pleaded not guilty to having sex with a student. She was fired in January, according to WISN. The teenager told police he had sex with Domres between 10-15 times. Most of the encounters happened at the Park and Ride in New Berlin. One happened at a motel on the night of her now-husband's bachelor party, according to WISN. A California high school teacher has been arrested on allegations of engaging in “sexual activity” with an underage male student, RadarOnline.com has learned. According to the SB County Sheriff’s Office, 38-year-old math teacher Tracy Vanderhulst from Yucaipa High School in San Bernardino County was taken into custody Thursday night. A California mom has been busted for having a sexual relationship with her teenage daughter’s ex-boyfriend, police said. Fereshta Angel Williams, 38, allegedly had a three-month fling with the unidentified 16-year-old boy, reports NBC San Diego. A middle school teacher in North Carolina has been arrested and charged with having an improper sexual relationship with her own 15-year-old foster son, a report says. Police in Statesville, North Carolina, arrested Christina Davis Jolly, 43, and charged her with statutory rape for the alleged sexual abuse of a 15-year-old boy legally living with her as a foster son, the Statesville Record & Landmark reported. Police arrested a former Cumberland County teacher Monday after they alleged she was having a sexual relationship with a student, according to CBS affiliate WRAL. Laura Garrigus was charged with four counts of taking indecent liberties with a student and two counts of sexual offense with a student, according to the station. A New Orleans-area woman was arrested earlier this week after she was accused of a weeks-long sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy, authorities tell PEOPLE. December Hebert, 38, was arrested Wednesday in Marrero, outside New Orleans, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Col. John Fortunato says. A married teacher who has admitted having sex with an underage student in her Florida classroom told the teen she wanted to leave her husband for him when he turned 18, according to new court documents. Heather Mashburn-Smith, 37, gave a “full, post-Miranda confession” about having sex with the boy — while admitting she knew he was “just a teenager,” according to her arrest affidavit seen by WBBH-TV. A 23-year-old Northeast Independent School District teacher who resigned amid allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student in December was arrested Friday and charged with the sexual assault of a minor, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Maris Gonzalez, 23, is currently being held in the Bexar County Jail. She is suspected of engaging in a sexual relationship with a student at Madison High School. Austin police have arrested a Bowie High School teacher who they said had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student. 23-year-old Erica Dinora Gomez has been charged with sexual assault of a child and improper relationship between educator and student. Since 2006, at least two female employees at Moore Catholic High School in the New York City borough of Staten Island have been accused of having sex with underage students. ... The woman at the center of this sordid tale is Megan Mahoney, a former assistant girls’ basketball coach, gym teacher and assistant athletic director at Moore Catholic High, the New York Post reports. A physical education teacher has been charged with sexual assault for engaging in an apparently consensual relationship with a 17-year-old female student she taught and coached at a southern New Jersey high school. Erica Umosella, a 28-year-old faculty member at Kingsway Regional High School, was arrested Tuesday. She is charged with three sex-related offenses, including first-degree aggravated sexual assault, according to Bernie Weisenfeld, spokesman for the Gloucester County Prosecutor's office. A former high school teacher and coach was sentenced to jail for engaging in unlawful sex acts with an underage student. Rebecca Eileen Diebolt, 37, of Brea, pleaded guilty on Jan. 15, 2016, to one felony count of oral copulation with a minor under 16 and one felony count of sexual penetration with a foreign object of a minor. A North Carolina substitute teacher who was photographed sobbing in a mugshot after admitting to having sex with a 15-year-old has reached a plea deal. Katelyn Dawn Schronce, 33, was arrested on April 17, 2025, and was initially charged with statutory rape, which left her facing up to 30 years behind bars. A babysitter who forced a 13-year-old boy to perform sex acts on her has been spared jail. Mary-Ellen Mooney, who was 18 at the time, rubbed the boy’s thigh and kissed him, then took his hand and put it down her pants. An Ohio woman has been charged with raping and robbing a male taxi driver while an accomplice held the victim at knifepoint, according to investigators. Brittany Carter, 23, was named this month in a two-count felony indictment charging her with aggravated robbery and rape in connection with the alleged attack earlier this year in Findlay, a city about 40 miles south of Toledo. An 18 year-old boy whose teacher made him have sex with her killed himself because he was ‘humiliated and embarrassed’ by her exploitation. Corbin Madison shot himself dead in August 2018, just over a year after teacher Tennille Whitaker was arrested for abusing him. A Westmoreland County woman is facing charges for allegedly raping a 5-year-old boy and sharing video of the act on social media. According to police, 24-year-old Corby Kinzey was arrested Tuesday night at her home in Greensburg. A 38-year-old Nebraska mother was found guilty Wednesday of sexually assaulting her daughter’s preadolescent friends, according to Fox News. A jury found Christina Greer guilty of three counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, six counts of felony child abuse, as well as two counts of witness tampering, according to Fox News. Greer is guilty of grooming daughters friends aged 12 and 13. Former Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) guidance counselor Shana Taylor, who worked at Longfellow Alternative School, was charged with multiple felony counts of child seduction for engaging in sexual relationships with at least two teenage students. A Texas mother is accused of sexually abusing her 10-year-old daughter — and then allegedly making plans for a registered sex offender to join them, police said. Elizabeth Spaeth, 37, was taken into custody last month after confessing to having sex with her underage daughter on “multiple occasions,” San Antonio Express News reports. A former substitute teacher in Louisiana who pleaded guilty to having sex with three boys will be spared jail time, thanks to a plea deal. Heidi M. Verrett, 34, pleaded guilty on March 22 to three misdemeanor counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile after her 2016 arrest on charges of having sex with three 15- and 16-year-old boys at her home, the Houma Courier reported. A North Texas special education teacher at an all-boys middle school was indicted by a Dallas grand jury on Wednesday following allegations she inappropriately hooked up with an eighth grade male student, exchanged sexually explicit text messages, solicited sex, and kissed the boy. In March, Grand Prairie police arrested Rebecca Goerdel, 28, after an investigation revealed the second year special education teacher at the Young Men’s Leadership Academy at Kennedy Middle School behaved inappropriately with an eighth-grader during the 2016-17 academic year. A woman stabbed her boyfriend with a steak knife as they lay naked together in bed because he had turned her down for sex, a court heard. Vicky Ludlow, 37, left her boyfriend with a punctured lung in the stabbing at his flat in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent. A woman convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old schoolboy has avoided a jail term. And Jordan Lightfoot was warned by Judge David Hale not to invite teenage boys around for a party. Lightfoot, of Edith Parc Rhyl, was found guilty of three charges of sexual activity with the 13-year-old boy, and also sexual activity by touching with a boy of 15, and causing or inciting the elder boy to engage in sexual activity. A California nanny is facing charges for allegedly abusing an 8-month-old baby girl and sending disturbing images of the victim online — all at the direction of a man who received the photos over social media, according to authorities. Michelle Hidalgo, 28, is accused of molesting the girl after the man requested she do “worse and worse” things to the infant and then document it, law enforcement said in court records obtained by the East Bay Times. A 27-year-old math teacher, Jennifer Olajire-Aro, coerced a 17-year-old student into having sex with her, repeatedly threatening to dock his grades if he refused, according to a lawsuit filed by the South Carolina teenager and his mother. An Ohio teacher was sentenced on Wednesday to three years in prison for sexual battery after she pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old female student. Brooke Rosendale was a fifth grade intervention specialist and a girls volleyball and basketball coach at Riverdale School in Ohio. A 25-year-old teacher charged with second-degree rape of a male student was sentenced to a year in prison on Wednesday. Kalyn Thompson had been teaching for less than a year when she turned herself into police last May over an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old victim. A 36-year-old former teacher in Idaho has been busted for allegedly having sex with a teen by cops who found the boy behind the wheel of her car because she was too “drunk to drive,” authorities said. Jessica Lawson is facing felony rape charges after an officer from Saint Anthony Police Department pulled over her vehicle with no visible taillights on the morning of Nov. 6, only to find a teen boy in the driver’s seat of the car, East Idaho News reported. The Sevierville Police Department said detectives arrested Ashley Palmer, a teacher at Sevier County Schools, on Friday afternoon. Palmer is being charged with two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure and two counts of aggravated sexual exploitation, according to SPD. After a weekend of rumors, Kenner police released mug shots and additional details on a sex scandal involving two Destrehan High School English teachers and a student. Jefferson Parish authorities said both teachers, Shelley S. Dufresne, 32, and Rachel Respess, 24, are facing felony charges of carnal knowledge of a juvenile, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile. A twisted New Jersey special education teacher allegedly exchanged more than 25,000 text messages with the middle-school boy she is accused of sexually assaulting, according to a seven-count indictment. Freehold Intermediate School’s Allison Havemann-Niedrach sent thousands of messages to the 15-year-old victim starting when the alleged abuse began in early 2024, and stopped in June with her arrest, according to the indictment. A St. Johns County teacher who was arrested late Wednesday afternoon after being accused of having sex with a student is married and is expecting her first child, according to her old classmates and friends. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office said Virginia Houston Hinckley, who lives in Jacksonville, turned herself in Wednesday at the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, after learning a warrant for her arrest was issued. A female teacher at an elite Los Angeles private school has been accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student, it was learned Sunday. Aimee Palmitessa, 45, a teacher at the Brentwood School, was arrested Friday, Los Angeles Police spokesman Tony Im told Fox News. The tattoo can be erased, but a criminal record lasts a lifetime. A North Carolina teacher accused of having sex with a high school student in a ménage a trois with her husband also got a tattoo with 15-year-old girl’s initials and likeness, police allege. Durham County Sheriff’s executed a search warrant on Thursday to seize computers, cellphones and take a photo of Michelle Smith White, 37, of Durham, N.C. White was charged in July with taking indecent liberties and sexual offense with a student at Jordan High School, the News & Observer reported. And on and on and on. Seems like women as sexual predators is a problem in our society. I'm still not persuaded, though, that we should view all women as categorical "potential" sexual predators until and unless they demonstrate that they are not. Safety and mitigation measures should be utilized, definitely. As I have noted a few times, I have been trying to utilize in my communications the principles set forth in Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change Our Potentially Toxic Conversations into Healthy Dialogues by Steven T. Collis (2024). I have tried in this thread to deploy Habit One: In attempting to reframe conversations from “winning” to “solving a shared problem,” I have not succeeded. Also Habit Four: I have attempted to "{a} void language or framing that triggers fear or defensiveness." I have not succeeded. Also Habit Five: I was not really trying for a "debate," but it seems I started one anyway. I also sought from you folks "the strongest version of the opposing view" (from my own). I think I succeeded to some extent on this. Also Habit Six: "Be willing to revise your views when better evidence or reasoning appears. This is not weakness—it is intellectual honesty." I am trying to do this. And Habit Ten: "Not every conversation needs a winner or final resolution." I think this is correct and on display here. "Realm of Reasonableness: most reasonable positions lie between extremes." I am trying to sort out how this should apply. I am generally of a "reasonable minds can disagree about all sorts of things, including important things" mindset. Here, I think you feel I am not within the "realm of reasonableness." I will give that some consideration. So it seems that I will be embracing the discomfort of non-closure. Thank you for your time and attention. Thanks, -Smac

I’m Giving Up My Normal Life to Live Like a Mormon for 30 Days Day 2 & 3 Living Like a Mormon This Is HARDER Than I Thought Living Like a Mormon Day 4: Goodbye Coffee Day 5 Living Mormon: No More Empty Promises Living Like a Mormon Is Way Harder Than I Thought (Day 6–7) Day 8 of Living Like a Mormon: The Word of Wisdom Is Confusing Can I Hold On To The Iron Rod? | living like a Mormon Challenge Day 9! Living Like a Mormon Challenge — Day 14: The Church Voice My Testimony: Day 15 Giving Up My Normal Life To Live Like A Mormon! Day 16 Living Like a Mormon: I Met the Missionaries Day 18 Living Like a Mormon: The Truth About the “Racism” Accusations Day 19 of Living Like a Mormon: If Imperfect People Destroyed Your Faith... Watch This Day 20 Living Like A Mormon “I Read the Doctrine & Covenants for the First Time" Day 22: The LDS Second Anointing Is More Biblical Than I Expected 25 Days Studying Mormonism Changed Me! 28 Days Living Like a Mormon Changed My View of Hell :huge announcement at day 30: 29 Days Living Like A Mormon Challenge Brought Me Closer to Jesus and 2 hours ago: I Lived Like a Mormon for 30 Days Now I’m Joining the Church Wow. Thanks, -Smac

So you don’t think women should be cautious with every man (or person if you prefer like I do) until proven otherwise? I said previously: Perhaps we are more or less saying the same thing, but I am seeing the "potential rapist" thing as more provocative than it is actually intended to be. See above. Again: The first and second bullets here has some real poignancy for me. I have a woman in my life who I think is in this state, and this has developed because of one or two very specific events in her life in which men behaved improperly toward her. She never goes on dates, turns down every invitation, and speaks derisively of any man who attempts such overtures. Although she has not specifically said it, I think she presently has no plans to marry or have children, a prospect that developed after the one or two incidents. She is spurning "healthy relationships with good men" and overall seems to have a pretty unhealthy perspective on men as a category. I think this is becoming entrenched in her, such that by the time she comes out of this mindset - if she ever does - she will have far fewer prospects for marriage and family. And if she does marry, I can't help but feel sorry for her husband if he ends up living under a cloud of suspicion and imputed "potential rapist" status. In what context would such a statement be used? How about "Every man is a potential non-pedophile"? How does negating the accusation mitigate the accusation? Thanks, -Smac

Training as needed, but on an ongoing basis they should evaluate the person and tell the bishop what safety measures should be in place in each case, which the bishop is required to follow, not just see as suggestions. And then the pro supervises (visits the ward or talks to members) to ensure their instructions are followed over time. And anyone with concerns can go to them as well as the bishop. The person being watched could also express concerns, both request for help or if they are being harassed or mistreated somehow and the bishop isn’t taking that seriously. Could you explain why a therapist is situated well to provide logistical guidance to bishops in relation to "safety measures" and such? Is that part of their training? Thanks, -Smac

It’s not logical since the threat exists with all men. Thank you for your response. I don't understand the "the treat exists with all men" part. As I noted earlier: What are your thoughts about this? Some women commit abuse as well. Should she "expand her caution" to all women? If the actions of a few men justify imputing collective guilt onto all men, would not the same reasoning apply to imputing collective guilt onto women for the actions of a few of them? I agree with the core of your driving analogy — being generally defensive and extra cautious around higher-risk vehicles (like landscaping trucks with loose loads) makes sense. Situational awareness is smart. However, I think your response actually reinforces my concern rather than resolving it. You said it’s not logical to extrapolate caution only to black men because “the threat exists with all men,” and that she should expand her caution to every man. That’s exactly the kind of categorical thinking I’m pushing back on. If we accept the logic that “because some men commit violence, all men should be treated as potential rapists,” then the same logic could be applied to any demographic group that has disproportionate crime statistics in certain categories. But you (and most people) rightly reject applying that same blanket suspicion to “all Black men.” That’s the inconsistency I’m trying to highlight. You said being extra alert around landscaping trucks is reasonable, but treating all red cars as dangerous would be irrational. I agree. Here’s the key distinction: Treating certain behaviors or visible risk factors with extra caution (loose loads, reckless driving, etc.) = smart risk management. Treating an entire category of people as inherently suspect based on group membership (all men, all Black men, all Muslims, etc.) = prejudice. The leap from “some men are dangerous” to “treat all men as potential rapists until proven otherwise” is the same kind of overgeneralization you correctly reject when applied to race. Both rely on the same flawed reasoning: using group averages to justify preemptive suspicion of every individual in that group. I’m not saying women should be naive or ignore real risks. Situational awareness, trusting instincts, and avoiding genuinely vulnerable situations are all wise. But defaulting to “all men are potential threats” is both statistically overstated and morally problematic. It damages trust, increases anxiety, and treats millions of good men as guilty until proven innocent. What do you think? Does the distinction between “be cautious around risky behavior” and “be suspicious of an entire sex/race by default” make sense to you? Thanks, -Smac

This person would provide training to bishops and stake presidents? Regarding how to work with ward members with past histories of abuse? Thanks, -Smac

No, reasonably based on stats she should be extrapolating them to all men. What if her reasoning leads her to extrapolate as to all black men? Is that acceptable in your view? If not, why not? Again, not really trying to argue as much as understand. Thanks, -Smac

What sort of "counseling" training do you envision? Thanks, -Smac

Bummer. I'm going to Capitol Reef this weekend.

I would ask her if she viewed all white, Asian, etc men the same way. Thank you for your response. Could you elaborate here? What does this illuminate? If she says "No, I only view black men as 'potential rapists,'" is that appropriate? But what if her reason(s) is/are not "random"? What if she has had some very bad experiences with a few black men? Is she therefore justified in taking those bad experiences and extrapolating them across all black men? If not, why not? Okay. Does this apply to other forms of misconduct? Some men are pedophiles, so "the possibility {that any particular man is a pedophile} should always be considered an option" as to all men? Also, what are your thoughts about this? I really do want to understand your reasoning here. I agree that no one deserves being abused. But I am concerned whether vigilance against abuse should include viewing entire categories of people as inchoate rapists, abusers, pedophiles, etc. because some small portion of them have done these terrible things. Probably because you changed the conversation to blame and she didn’t register the shift, but went along with it…which can often happen when arguments are misunderstood and reformulated by another if one is inexperienced. Could you elaborate here? I don't see the shift you reference here. The reasoning seems to be that A) some men commit rape, therefore B) all men, regardless of character or conduct or circumstance, are justifiably viewed as "potential rapists." All I did was change the category: A) some {black} men commit rape, therefore B) all {black} men, regardless of character or conduct or circumstance, are justifiably viewed as "potential rapists." Again: What are your thoughts about this? I think your defensive driving analogy is a good one, and I mostly agree with the underlying idea: caution and risk awareness are smart. We should drive defensively. We keep distance, stay alert, and adjust based on behavior. That’s responsible. However, I think the analogy breaks down when we move from “treat all cars as potential bad drivers” to “treat all men as potential rapists.” I can think of at least two key differences: Defensive driving assumes human error is common — not that every driver is actively trying to hurt you. You don’t assume the person in the next lane is a psychopath who wants to kill you. You assume they might be distracted, inexperienced, or make a mistake. Saying “treat all men as potential rapists” goes much further. It assigns moral suspicion and the possibility of serious criminal intent to half the population by default. It’s closer to saying “treat every driver as a potential drunk driver who might deliberately ram you.” That level of assumption crosses into prejudging character, not just managing risk. Most men are not rapists — just like most drivers are not dangerous maniacs. The data shows that while male violence is a real problem, the vast majority of men never commit sexual violence. Blanket suspicion based on gender alone starts to look more like prejudice than prudent caution. I’m not arguing for naivety. Women should absolutely be situationally aware, especially in vulnerable settings. They should look for red flags in behavior, respect their instincts, and avoid unnecessary risks. That’s wise. But moving from “be careful and observant” to “all men are potential rapists until proven otherwise” has real costs: increased anxiety, damaged trust in healthy relationships, and unfair stereotyping of millions of decent men. Would you agree there’s a meaningful difference between prudent risk management and categorical suspicion of an entire group? Thanks, -Smac

Well, I wonder about this in a few ways. First, the "have to" bit. I don't think women "have to treat all men as a potential threat." Second, the "until they know better" bit. Again, consider the student I described: A few hours after I encountered this woman, the hallway we were in was full of hundreds of people. It's likely the busiest hallway at the university. If that young woman walked down that hallway in the middle of the day, do you think she would be viewing all of the hundreds of men walking past her as "potential threat{s}" until she "know{s} better"? I would think it more likely that she does not view these hundreds of men, or the billions of men throughout the world, as all being "potential threat{s}" until and unless there is a circumstance that justifies such an adverse inference. If a woman sees a man minding his own business walking along a public street during the day, I don't think she needs to view him as a presumptive/potential "rapist" and vet him and confirm his status as a non-threat. Alternatively, if a woman is walking toward her car late at night in a dark and empty parking lot and sees a man approaching her, then she is likely justified in viewing him as a potential threat until she knows better. I appreciate you sharing those statistics and your perspective. Your concern comes from a genuine place of wanting women to be safe, and I respect that. Violence against women is a serious issue, and we should never minimize real harm. That said, I want to gently push back on the idea that women should treat all men as “potential rapists” or inherent threats until proven otherwise. I think that framing, even if it feels protective, can be psychologically unhealthy and unfair. Some of the numbers you cited are directionally true but get overstated: The vast majority of violence against women (85–99% for sexual violence, high 80s–90s for severe physical violence) is indeed committed by men. That’s real. However, the claim that “9 out of 10 women will be physically harmed by a man she knows” is not, I think, supported by major studies. CDC data shows lifetime severe physical violence by an intimate partner is closer to 1 in 4, and broader physical aggression around 1 in 3. “1 in 3 women experience sexual or physical violence” is roughly accurate when including intimate partner violence over a lifetime. These are serious numbers. They justify reasonable caution in certain situations. But they don’t justify treating every man as a presumptive threat. Here’s where I struggle: If someone said “All Black men are potential rapists” or “All Muslims are potential terrorists” because of disproportionate crime/terrorism statistics in those groups, most people would correctly call that prejudiced and dehumanizing. It takes real, painful data and turns it into collective guilt. Why does the same logic suddenly become acceptable when applied to men as a category? Most men are not rapists or abusers. The best research suggests that somewhere between 5–10% of men commit rape (with a smaller group of repeat offenders responsible for most assaults). The overwhelming majority of men — fathers, brothers, husbands, friends — never commit sexual violence. Painting all men with the actions of that minority is the very definition of prejudice. I think the healthier mindset is: Be situationally aware, not categorically distrustful. Most women already do this naturally — they assess individuals based on behavior, context, and red flags rather than assuming every man is dangerous until proven innocent. That approach protects women without poisoning relationships or treating half the population as inherently suspect. Viewing all men as potential rapists doesn’t just harm men — it harms women too. It fosters chronic anxiety, damages trust in healthy relationships, and makes it harder to see good men clearly when they show up. I care about women’s safety. That is why I think we should be precise with the data and avoid overgeneralizations that treat men as a monolith. Real safety comes from smart risk assessment and strong communities, not blanket suspicion based on gender. What do you think? I’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts — I’m not trying to win an argument, just understand where you’re coming from. I get where you're coming from with the stream analogy — it's a smart survival rule in the backcountry. Giardia is nasty, you can't see it, and the cost of filtering water is low. Better safe than sorry. But I think the analogy breaks down when applied to men as a whole. I think the risk levels are very different: With streams in your area, 17–45% are contaminated — that's an extremely high base rate. The lifetime risk that a random man will sexually assault a woman is much lower. While the statistics on violence against women are serious (and we should take them seriously), the vast majority of men are not rapists or abusers. Best research puts male rape perpetration somewhere in the 5–10% range lifetime, with a smaller group of repeat offenders responsible for most incidents. Treating every single stream as potentially contaminated makes sense because the hit rate is high. Treating every man as a "potential rapist" until proven otherwise is different — it's assuming a much higher risk from every individual than the data supports. Further, I think you can assess men better than streams. Unlike water, you can (and should) evaluate people based on: Their behavior and demeanor Context and setting Reputation and how others speak about them Whether they respect boundaries Most women already do this instinctively. Blanket "all men are threats" thinking removes that nuance and replaces it with categorical suspicion. That’s a heavy psychological load to carry. The categorical suspicion comes with some real costs. Treating all men as potential threats might feel protective, but it also: Risks creating chronic anxiety and hypervigilance; Makes it harder to build healthy relationships with good men; and Can lead to unfair prejudice (the same logic would be called sexist or bigoted if applied to other groups). I completely agree women should be smart and cautious "in vulnerable situations." Situational awareness is wise. But moving from “be careful” to “treat all men as potential rapists” feels like it goes too far and does real damage — both to women and to men who have never harmed anyone. I’m not saying women should be naive. I’m saying the “treat every man as a threat” approach might be overcorrecting in a way that’s not actually making women safer or happier. Happy to keep talking about it. Thanks, -Smac

Thank you for your response. The article in your link does not seem to quantify or define "in-group" or "out-group." I'm not sure I have conceptualized men as my "in-group" and women as an "out-group." I'll think on that. Some good thoughts here. Broadly speaking, I differentiate communications and interactions based on sex. I feel more at ease at striking up a conversation with another man than with a woman. I live near a walking trail, and when I find myself walking behind a woman, I slow down or stop or turn around so as to give her plenty of space. I don't do that when I am walking behind a man. Same goes for parking lots at night. I have a number of close male friends, but I have no close female friends except those who also have a friendship with my wife. I never get close to or talk to children unless their parents are immediately nearby, and often not even then. I think most of this has as much or more to do with propriety and decorum than with thoughts of mitigating safety concerns. That's a terrible thing. Short of excluding the man from church services, what do you think the bishop should have done to better address the situation? From a comment I made earlier in this thread: Do you think something along those lines would work? Thanks, -Smac

I would be curious about this. It seems incongruent with a few generalized observations: Oh boy, here we go. I have, in recent months, been attempting to deploy the principles of a book, "Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change Our Potentially Toxic Conversations Into Healthy Dialogues" by Steven T. Collis. Habit One is "Intellectual Humility and Reframing" From a summary: I am reminding myself that I know only a fraction of what there is to know on this topic (hence my request for the study Bluebell referenced). The issues here, what to do with Latter-day Saints who have a past history of serious misconduct, and the prevalence of men "struggl{ing} to believe it when another man is accused of sexual crimes or misconduct," is, I think, a complex and difficult topic. Both issues require meaningful data/sources. Both issues deserve attention and efforts toward resolution (or at least mitigation). I am not an expert on this topic. My personal experience with these matters has been largely anecdotal. So I'm not trying to "bulldoze" anyone. Just learn. I would find any abuse of women abhorrent. I have women friends!!!!! Given our long history of not getting along, I can understand your skepticism and snark. However, I was speaking of men who are not abusers, and who are not interested in ignoring or justifying abuse, and who can relate to victims of abuse. I have a friend who served as a bishop, and he had to deal with a situation where the father of a family had abused one of his daughters. My friend knew the entire family, but he did not make any excuses for the abuse, nor did he overlook it. Instead, he looked to the welfare of the family (after the father was out of the house), arranged for therapy and financial assistance, worked with ward leaders to make sure there was no gossip about the matter (the father was arrested, so the matter had a public record of sorts), convened a membership council as to the father, conferred with the stake president and the hotline, and otherwise followed the policies and procedures outlined in the Handbook. In other words, the Church's "system" worked as best it could under the circumstances. I think men can and do find abuse abhorrent. Some few within that category are predatory, and may therefore feign abhorrence to hide who they are. I am not sure what you are saying here. I find abuse abhorrent. Well, that's an interesting perspective. What do you think a sincere man could do to demonstrate his abhorrence of abuse? I agree with you. But again, I was responding to a generalization about men, that is, that men "struggle to believe it when another man is accused of sexual crimes" and "don't relate to the victim at all so they subconsciously distance themselves from the (almost always) child or the woman and look at it from the perpetrator's perspective." My point is that plenty of men don't struggle to believe that abuse happens, and do relate to victims, and don't "defend abusers." Abused people do not automatically develop empathy for people who are abused. I agree. But some (many?) do. I acknowledge that some victims of abuse themselves become victimizers. Some do not, and instead find abuse abhorrent and stop the cycle. No, it is just reflexively taking the man’s side cloaked in imagined fears and conspiracy mongering and misogyny about all those lying women. Again, I was responding to a generalized statement that men "subconsciously distance themselves from the (almost always) child or the woman." I think a lot of men "distance themselves" because there is seemingly no "right" way to respond to abuse. Our conversation here is perhaps demonstrative of that. If a man says he finds abuse abhorrent, he risks exposure to insinuations and accusations of false dealing and insincerity: "I would find any abuse of women abhorrent. I have women friends!!!!!" "You can care about women and still defend abusers." "You can tell how insincere it is by the fact that they feel they have to present proof that they know women." "No, it is just reflexively taking the man’s side cloaked in imagined fears and conspiracy mongering and misogyny about all those lying women." These seem to come pretty close to false accusations. I have said nothing to justify or excuse abuse, or to feign condemnation of abuse, or to defend abusers. This seems like a "heads I lose, tails I lose" circumstance. No matter what is said, an accusation can be extracted from it. Are there men, then, who "subconsciously distance themselves from the {} child or the woman" because their words can be twisted into accusations (such as "misogyny about all those lying women")? I think so. Do some of these men, then, elect to remain quiet rather than face unpleasant and accusatory commentary, such as what you have said here? I think so. Can this silence be construed in some quarters as them "{not} relat{ing} to the victim," or "distanc{ing} themselves from the (almost always) child or the woman and look at it from the perpetrator's perspective"? I think so. I am coming away from this discussion with a reduced willingness to address these issues. And everyone stood up and clapped. I’ll take “Things That Didn’t Happen” for $100 Alex. Perhaps some context may help here. The above statement from the young woman was not unprompted. We had been discussing an experience she had had in which she had felt unsafe in a store parking lot at night. She said a man had walked by her and made her felt nervous. I said that this was an understandable response, as situational awareness is an important thing. I then told her an experience I had had, which have previously described here: Some years ago I was teaching at a local university. I usually started my day very early, at 6:00 a.m. I had to park my car and walk a fair distance through several inter-connected buildings to get to my office. One such morning I found myself walking toward my office about 50 feet behind a young woman. At that time of day there was nobody else around. I shortly realized that I was making her nervous. I had not said or done anything, and I had not closed the gap between us, but she looked back at me a few times in quick succession, and she looked nervous. So I called to her and said "Hey, my name is Spencer Macdonald. I teach here and am headed to my office in ___________ building. It looks like we are headed in the same direction. I can see that I am making you nervous. I am sorry about that. I will stop for a few minutes and let you get to wherever you are going. Sound good?" She smiled, nodded and said "Yes, thanks," and continued on her way. She gave off a "sigh of relief" vibe in doing so. I waited about five minutes and then continued toward my office. In retrospect, I suppose I did the right thing. I gave her my name (and that I teach, and that I was headed to my office) because the lawyer in me thought that this would give her some measure of security. I stopped and gave her several minutes to get to her destination. I could see that this happenstance, of her being all alone early in the morning with a stranger walking (50 feet) behind her, was putting her on edge. I had not planned any of this, and I certainly was no threat to her, but she did not know that. So I felt it best to, as you put it, "give her a choice." I don't blame the young woman for feeling a bit nervous, even though she was in no actual danger from me. The confluence of events (early morning, nobody around, a stranger walking behind her) was what it was. I mitigated the situation by communicating with her and then giving her a few minutes to get to her destination. Problem solved. It was then that the young woman nodded and said that she and the "generation" of young women around her view all men as "potential rapists." I then responded as noted above. The conversation continued on a bit about differentiating "men" based on a "situational awareness" context. I said something like this: "Going back to my experience with the college student, what if I had been walking behind her several hours later in the day, when there are dozens/hundreds of people around? Would she have had the same reaction to my presence?" She said "No, because you would not be a potential threat to her because other people are around." We then had a discussion about generalizations about men, namely, that thinking of all men everywhere as always being "potential rapists" is probably not really happening, but that particularized circumstances, such as a woman being alone in a secluded public space and being approached by an unknown male, can justify a woman in making an in-the-moment adverse inference about the man's intentions. So it seems that I was misunderstanding her generalization, or she was generalizing it a bit much, or a bit of both. Either way, the conversation ended being helpful in me better understanding her perspective. Thanks, -Smac

I would like to better understand this. What is it that you think the Church can/ought/must do to properly "deal with perps" that it (or, more precisely, its bishops) are not currently doing? Thanks, -Smac

Could you elaborate on this? What is it that "priesthood leader{s}" are not doing that you think they should be doing (or vice versa)? I am interested in better understanding your perspective on this. Could you explain what "hide their past" means in relation to priesthood leaders? I served as my ward's bishop some years ago. In that capacity, I regularly received information that was intended to be held in confidence. Broadly, the Church expects bishops to keep such confidences (legal obligations may require deviation from this), and I did that. Do you think this was an incorrect course of action for me? Trust must be earned, yes. And sometimes even then an individual member will almost certainly face constraints on his activity in the Church based on bad behavior. Yes, someone who has abused children has likely permanently lost any privilege of serving in a calling in which he interacts with kids. Thanks, -Smac

I would be interested in seeing that study, if you have access to it. I would be curious about this. It seems incongruent with a few generalized observations: First, plenty of men have loved ones who are or could be subject to abuse, and hence would find any abuse abhorrent, and hence they can and do "relate to the victim." Second, plenty of men have themselves been victims of abuse, and so not only "relate to" victims, but have experienced abuse themselves. Third, I think some (many?) men are scared of being falsely accused of misconduct of this sort. This has perhaps been augmented by the past many years of the "Believe All Women" and "MeToo" regimes, which have effectively inverted the "innocent until proven guilty" presumption, at least as to men as a category. Perhaps some men are therefore reluctant to reflexively and uncritically accept every published allegation of misconduct, and this reluctance is then construed by some as "subconsciously distanc{ing} themselves from the (almost always) child or the woman and look at it from the perpetrator's perspective." A while back a young woman of my acquaintance rather matter-of-factly stated that it is entirely normal in her "generation" of young women to view all men - all men - as "potential rapists," and that she shares this sentiment. She was surprised that I was surprised at this statement. In fact, I think she was a little offended that I was surprised. I asked her "What would you say to a friend if she told you that she views all black men as 'potential rapists?'" She responded along the lines of "Well, that would be terrible and racist." I asked her why, since some black men do commit rape, and she responded: "Yes, but you can't blame all black men just because some few of them do something wrong." I then told her that I agreed with her on that point, but I then asked why it does not apply to her "all men are 'potential rapists'" statement. She could not formulate a response. Could you elaborate on what you mean here? I would like to better understand how this shakes out in the real world. What is it that women - as a category - can do regarding evaluating claims of sexual misconduct that men - as a category - cannot do (or do as well)? Also, how would a bishop utilize "the women around {him}" to assess allegations of misconduct reported to him? Thanks, -Smac

I agree that some members appear to misapprehend just what the Church can do in circumstances such as these. D&C 134:10 merits some attention: I am not sure if the complainant in this case had expectations beyond the above. From the story: Lots of alleged misconduct going on here, but a LEO threatening to use the State's law enforcement apparatus in this way seems troubling. Looks like we agree on this point: Thanks, -Smac

You raise some good points here. Not only is this stuff an "ideology," it is often geared toward activism in that ideology. These folks are often not content to just be bystanders and commentate/observe. They are there to change things. The challenge with activism of this sort is threefold: First: Money. Ideologically-driven activism must still be monetized to perpetuate itself. Monetizing activism can warp perspectives and motives and behaviors because the pursuit of money clouds pursuit of the original intended purpose of the ideological activism, or even supplants it. Second: Perverse Incentives. Money tends to corrupt ideological activism. Consider, for example, the "homeless" industry in California. Activists are incentivized to not solve the problem they profess to be working to address. If they solve the problem, they lose their job and/or raison d'être. So there arise perverse incentives to make "homelessness" into an intractable and neverending issue to be managed, not resolved. Same goes for racism (witness the recent disclosures about what SPLC has been doing) and a variety of other activist ideologies (or is it ideological activism?). Third: Mission Creep. What happens if and when the thing that a person/group is against dissipates and largely resolves (again, the SPLC)? Or what happens when the thing about which the person/group is "pro" actually materializes (like the discovery of the polio vaccine and the March of Dimes)? Activists don't fold up their tents and go home. They pivot to some other cause. This article was, to me, quite illuminating: The March of Dimes Syndrome The better things get, the more desperately activists struggle to stay in business. Would be interested in anyone's thoughts on this stuff. Thanks, -Smac

I just watched the video. He apparently takes exception to this portion of the Church's statement: He states: "This claim that 'a simple solution' was proposed: 'a brief disclaimer that the podcast is not affiliated with' the Church. What I want to address is what some of the things that they actually asked for in mediation or before mediation." Goes on to provide a list according to his recollection: Remove the name "Mormon" from his organization's name, Internet domains and social media handles. (This was apparently a pre-mediation request.) Agree to not use "Mormon" in future Internet projects. (This was a mediation request.) Agree to "renounce" any rights to trademarks for "Mormon Stories," "Mormon Stories Podcasts," and to "never file for trademarks" (involving "Mormon"?). (This was a mediation request.) Agree to not challenge the Church's trademarks. (This was a mediation request.) Agree that the Church owns "all the rights to the word 'Mormon.'" (This was mediation request.) Agree to remove certain color schemes and "rays" from the MS logos. (This was a mediation request.) Agree to change the name to "Ex-Mormon Stories Podcast With Dr. John Dehlin" or "Post-Mormon Stories Podcast With Dr. John Dehlin." Same font size for all words. (This was a mediation request.) Having recited the foregoing, he goes on to state: "When they write in their press release that the solution that they requested was 'simple,' 'a brief disclaimer,' they are grossly, in my opinion, misstating and understating what their actual asks of us were." I think Dr. Dehlin is not sufficiently taking into consideration a few things. The reference to the "simple solution" in the Church's statement appears to pertain to one particular issue, namely: "The primary issue is ongoing confusion about whether 'Mormon Stories' is affiliated with the Church. To address that, the Church proposed a simple solution: a brief disclaimer that the podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Emphasis added.) The Church apparently has a number of legal "issues" with Dr. Dehlin, with this being the "primary" one. Dr. Dehlin, however, countered by itemizing other legal issues that the Church has and sought to resolve in mediation, including use of the word "Mormon" and associated trademark issues, elements of their logos, and so on. Further, he seems to be overlooking this earlier portion of the Church's statement: The Church here references "several options" which it presented prior to filing suit, likely in an attempt to resolve most or all of the disputed issues, rather than just the "primary" one ("ongoing confusion about whether 'Mormon Stories' is affiliated with the Church"), for which the Church apparently did propose a "simple solution," namely, "a brief disclaimer that the podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." What are your thoughts here? Am I misreading the situation? Is it possible that Dr. Dehlin is conflating things that might be better of being addressed separately? It seems that the "litany of demands" were intended to address all disputed issues between the parties, whereas the "simple solution" referenced in the Church's news release pertained to just one of them. I can understand your suspicion as to the Church's statements in the 1830s-1840s regarding polygamy. While there were extenuating circumstances in play, it's hard to justify some/most of the "obfuscation" you are alluding to here. That said, I think the Church has, for many decades now, been considerably more clear and forthright in its statements. While the Church does not disclose as much as its critics would like, I think its public statements are generally accurate. That's an interesting thought. Do you think the Church would actually pursue such an action? Or about about the "Book of Mormon" musical? From a legal standpoint, I see substantial differences between Dehlin's use of "Mormon" and these other uses. Dehlin's use appears to be creating actual "ongoing confusion about whether 'Mormon Stories' is affiliated with the Church," whereas the musical is clearly a parody, and SLOMW is reality TV show using "Mormon" descriptively for a lifestyle/cultural phenomenon. Trademark law is much weaker against descriptive or generic uses in entertainment. The Church can (and does) enforce trademarks against organizations that appear to mimic official branding in ways that cause confusion. But they generally avoid high-profile entertainment properties where parody, free speech, and lack of actual confusion provide strong defenses. The Dehlin case is, I think, more winnable for them because of the specific branding similarities and the religious/educational category overlap. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on these matters. Thanks, -Smac

Yes, the optics are very bad, even if the misconduct has not been definitively established. He may demur. Such things may be better addressed privately. And that's difficult where he is running for public office. From Section 32.6.1 of the Handbook: So perhaps this is something of a judgment call. That said, I just read the azcentral.com story. Quite damning and troubling. The gist is that the local leaders dragged their feet, so the complainant went to the Area Seventy, Elder Tilleman, who took action but did not disclose the results to the complainant. I am sorry to hear this happened. Some years ago our ward's bishop noticed a new face in the congregation. The man introduced himself and said he had lost his membership due to sexual abuse of children. The bishop said he could come to church services, but he would need to be accompanied by another ward member. The bishop had a ward member, a former police officer, greet him at the door and accompany him while he was in the building. The man only came to services only a few times. The bishop took appropriate precautions, and I think he did a good job in addressing the circumstances. Sometimes bishops are not as attuned to their duties and the need to protect the ward members and the reputation of the Church. They can generally do so by following the policies in the Handbook. In the Mark Lamb matter, it appears that this either did not happen, or else the local leaders slow-walked things for months. That must have been a terrible feeling for the complainant. The news item I just now read says she left the Church over this. That's a very understandable response. Thanks, -Smac

Yes, that can be frustrating. No worries. Perhaps another time. Thanks, -Smac

I appreciate you taking time to comment. Could you elaborate and clarify what you found offensive, or potentially offensive, about my generalized statement? My comment presupposes that the Church and the Restored Gospel are what they claim to be. If so, what was restored through Joseph Smith starting in 1820 should not, in my view, be retroactively nullified or negated by misconduct of Latter-day Saints in 2026. Is this what you find offensive? Thanks, -Smac