New Website: abuse.lds.org

[smac97]

See here: https://www.lds.org/get-help/abuse?cid=rdb_v_abuse

Our ward's bishop just received an email about this new website:

Quote

Abuse is the mistreatment or neglect of others (such as child or spouse, the elderly, or the disabled) in a way that causes physical, emotional, or sexual harm. The Church’s position is that abuse cannot be tolerated in any form. To that end, the Church has completed a new website to help Church members who have been victims of abuse and to help leaders minister to individuals and their families affected by abuse. This resource can be accessed at abuse.lds.org.

The new website provides guidance and resources to help:

• Victims of abuse find hope, help, and healing.
• Family members, leaders, friends, or other members recognize abuse and know what to do to find help for victims.
• Parents talk to their children about abuse.

Counseling and ministering help for leaders and ward council members on the topic of abuse can be found at counselingresources.lds.org.

Leaders should consider appropriate ways to ensure that members are aware of these resources. Members and leaders are encouraged to learn about and use trusted local resources for crisis help as well as for long-term support.

Some good stuff here.

Thanks,

-Smac

[USU78]

Thank you!

Just texted this to my wife, whose friend's daughter is presently in hiding from her wifebeating husband. She, the friend, is beside herself, and my wife is ministering.

[The Nehor]

Nice, I did not see this. I really wish they could do push notifications on new documents in the communications section of LDS.org but my understanding is that only happens for stake presidents who have an official email address.

Still, I wish you could sign up with a personal email tied to your account and then permissions adjusted based on calling.

[Calm]

Hotline help

https://www.lds.org/get-help/abuse/in-crisis-talk-now?lang=eng

Yes!

No need to wonder if it is okay to seek help outside the Church, just in case anyone is in that mindset, which hopefully there isn't.

[Maidservant]

I hope they find a way to include resources for "If I am the Abuser" so that a person like that can reach out instead of having to "hide it".   As long as major punishment instead of healing is our only paradigm for the abuser, they will never have a reason to come out and actually get help and end the cycle.

[ksfisher]

3 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Nice, I did not see this. I really wish they could do push notifications on new documents in the communications section of LDS.org but my understanding is that only happens for stake presidents who have an official email address.

 

The notifications seem inconsistent.  Sometimes the bishop will get an email, other times the entire bishopric.  No apparent reason why at times.

Edited October 25, 2018 by ksfisher

[ksfisher]

3 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Still, I wish you could sign up with a personal email tied to your account and then permissions adjusted based on calling.

That's how it's supposed to work now.

[gurn]

I'm a ward executive secretary, and I received notification in my email. 

Edited October 25, 2018 by gurn

[rockpond]

I received an email notifying me of the announcement letter in my "official communications".  I am currently serving as YM president so I assume this went to all ward council leaders at a minimum.

It does, however, seem like something that needs to be shared with all members.  Perhaps that will happen shortly but they wanted to get it into leaders hands first.

I briefly perused the site and it looks like a really great collections of resources.  Very happy to see this.

[Hamba Tuhan]

I got the email too. Here's the distribution list:

General Authorities, General Auxiliary Presidencies, and the following leaders in English-speaking units: Area Seventies; Stake, Mission, and District Presidents; Bishops and Branch Presidents; Stake and Ward Councils

It's also on the homepage of lds.org.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Hamba Tuhan

[bluebell]

4 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Nice, I did not see this. I really wish they could do push notifications on new documents in the communications section of LDS.org but my understanding is that only happens for stake presidents who have an official email address.

Still, I wish you could sign up with a personal email tied to your account and then permissions adjusted based on calling.

As the YW president I get emails notifications when new documents show up in the communication section.

[Robert F. Smith]

Because they have no central hierarchy, the Jewish community depends for abuse prevention and treatment upon Jewish Community Watch (JCW),   http://www.jewishcommunitywatch.org/ .  They do one very essential thing which the LDS Church is not doing:  Tracking the perpetrators of abuse, the sexual predators among us who repeat their crimes again and again.  We need to be protected from them.  Here is a JCW rogues gallery, http://www.jewishcommunitywatch.org/wall-of-shame/ .

Moreover, such crimes cannot be handled internally.  There must be public prosecutions.  As the JCW points out in their Sept newsletter, attempting to handle sexual abuse internally can be disastrous:  

[The Nehor]

I wonder if I just do not count then. I am an assistant ward clerk but due to circumstances I go to all Bishopric and Ward Council meetings and basically function as a co-Ward Clerk but I thought they still get the letter and it is in my Official Communication section on LDS.org. Not a big deal but a little annoying.

Edited October 25, 2018 by The Nehor

[rockpond]

1 hour ago, Robert F. Smith said:

Because they have no central hierarchy, the Jewish community depends for abuse prevention and treatment upon Jewish Community Watch (JCW),   http://www.jewishcommunitywatch.org/ .  They do one very essential thing which the LDS Church is not doing:  Tracking the perpetrators of abuse, the sexual predators among us who repeat their crimes again and again.  We need to be protected from them.  Here is a JCW rogues gallery, http://www.jewishcommunitywatch.org/wall-of-shame/ .

Moreover, such crimes cannot be handled internally.  There must be public prosecutions.  As the JCW points out in their Sept newsletter, attempting to handle sexual abuse internally can be disastrous:  

That sounds like a good process. 

I think we do a great disservice to ourselves by not disclosing the data on abuse within our church.  

[bluebell]

17 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

I wonder if I just do not count then. I am an assistant ward clerk but due to circumstances I go to all Bishopric and Ward Council meetings and basically function as a co-Ward Clerk but I thought they still get the letter and it is in my Official Communication section on LDS.org. Not a big deal but a little annoying.

Any chance you might have notifications turned off?  Or they have the wrong email address?

[The Nehor]

Just now, bluebell said:

Any chance you might have notifications turned off?  Or they have the wrong email address?

I just checked. Looks like everything is on and checked junk folder. Oh well, not a big deal.

[rockpond]

I’m hopeful that this site will get publicized to general membership in a variety of ways:  FP email blast, time on the homepage of LDS.org, Ensign article, maybe even a gen con address, etc.  The site is clearly NOT just a leader resource. 

[Calm]

It is on the homepage of lds.org

[2BizE]

Looks like Sam Young's hard efforts are starting to pay off.  They should have a link for the abusers that takes them to a law enforcement webpage where they can confess.

[Amulek]

3 minutes ago, 2BizE said:

They should have a link for the abusers that takes them to a law enforcement webpage where they can confess.

If you want to confess a crime to local law enforcement, and you are on the internet already, can't you just Google your local PD? 

 

[USU78]

51 minutes ago, Amulek said:

If you want to confess a crime to local law enforcement, and you are on the internet already, can't you just Google your local PD? 

😂

[rockpond]

4 hours ago, 2BizE said:

Looks like Sam Young's hard efforts are starting to pay off.

Yep.  I believe it was his efforts that prompted both this website and the letter sent to bishops and stake presidents about interview procedures. 

[Calm]

I would not be surprised if his efforts contributed, but there are massive movements (for example, MeToo, the news and commentary of the domestic abuse by Rob Porter) to address abuse in our culture and considering his emphasis (bishops' interviews) was a target not changed by this website, I think to hold up him as the prime mover of this website is overdoing it and neglecting to give the credit where it should really go, which is to the victims willing to speak up and let their loved ones and leaders know how pervasive abuse is in our greater society as well as our more intimate ones of church and family.

[kllindley]

2 hours ago, Calm said:

I would not be surprised if his efforts contributed, but there are massive movements (for example, MeToo, the news and commentary of the domestic abuse by Rob Porter) to address abuse in our culture and considering his emphasis (bishops' interviews) was a target not changed by this website, I think to hold up him as the prime mover of this website is overdoing it and neglecting to give the credit where it should really go, which is to the victims willing to speak up and let their loved ones and leaders know how pervasive abuse is in our greater society as well as our more intimate ones of church and family.

You said it much more diplomatically that I would have. Thank you.

[rockpond]

3 hours ago, Calm said:

I would not be surprised if his efforts contributed, but there are massive movements (for example, MeToo, the news and commentary of the domestic abuse by Rob Porter) to address abuse in our culture and considering his emphasis (bishops' interviews) was a target not changed by this website, I think to hold up him as the prime mover of this website is overdoing it and neglecting to give the credit where it should really go, which is to the victims willing to speak up and let their loved ones and leaders know how pervasive abuse is in our greater society as well as our more intimate ones of church and family.

I agree... he was a mover, not the only mover.  Whether or not he was a prime mover -- I don't know.  I think McKenna Denson was also a mover of the Church on this.  And the ex-wives of Rob Porter coming forward with their stories.

And, as we talk of the victims willing to speak up, we should remember that among the things Sam Young did (both the good and the bad) was the book of stories of abuse.  Hundreds of victims who shared their stories at Sam Young's prompting.