TRIGGER WARNING
Rape and other abuse are discussed in this episode.
In March of 2018, MormonLeaks released an audio recording and transcript of McKenna Denson interviewing Joseph Bishop, MTC President during her time she was in the MTC in 1984. Bishop groomed and raped her and now Denson is bringing suit against him and the LDS Church.
McKenna joins Natasha to discuss the mental health aspects of her life as a young sexually abused child by her step father to her encounters with Bishop, and after. Natasha also dives into the cyclical responses of perpetrators and why this is problematic and shares advise on what kind of help there is and things to look out for.
McKenna’s interview with Mosaic Podcast:
https://www.mosaicpodcast.com/episodes/mormon-me-too-part-1-the-first-law-of-heaven
To help McKenna with costs of Travel & Expenses as she continues to attend legal proceedings, please go to:
https://www.gofundme.com/mtc-victims-legal-amp-travel-fund
As always, in order to keep Mormon Mental Health going past 2018, we ask that you become a donor by going to mormonmentalhealth.org.
Sarah Hughes-Zabawa, LCSW, and Jennifer White, CSW, join Natasha to discuss consent and ways that we can better equip ourselves whether as leaders in the church, family members, supports and allies for anyone that has had to deal with any type of sexual assault.
Discussed in this topic are articles including, Myths about Rape and How to Teach Consent to Kids from everydyafeminism.com:
https://everydayfeminism.com/2015/02/how-to-teach-consent-to-kids/
Natasha Helfer Parker runs an online practice, Symmetry Solutions and writes at The Mormon Therapist for Patheos: Hosting the Conversation of Faith. She also hosts the popular podcasts, Mormon Mental Health & Mormon Sex Info and creates the sex educational resource, Sex Talk with Natasha.
Kristin Marie Bennion and Amy Heffernan join Natasha as they discuss current topics in Mormonism surrounding sexuality. They discuss the term “non-consensual immorality†and how this is not a “thing," the Protect LDS Children movement, the situation surrounding Joseph Bishop and go into depth of one man’s experience who found his sexual perpetrator was recently called to be a bishop.
During the conversation, Natasha realizes she is a mandatory reporter for this man’s experience. As she processes the situation with Kristin and Amy, she realizes she needs to report the perpetrator. Please note that Natasha consulted with her professional ethics/legal board and has placed a call to child protective services in regards to the case discussed in the podcast.
To view the the talk Natasha gave for the Protect LDS Children march in Salt Lake City, please go here: www.facebook.com/ProtectLDSChildren/videos/1801423469921921/
Thank you to all that have donated to Mormon Mental Health. To donate, please go here and consider becoming a monthly supporter: www.mormonmentalhealth.org
Natasha Helfer Parker and Tim Birt, both mental health professionals and members of the Mormon Mental Health Association, have a discussion and response in regards to the guidelines that were updated and released yesterday by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in regards to preventing and responding to abuse.
Natasha wanted to release this tonight... but will be offering more of the links mentioned within the interview in the following days.
Mormon leaders unveil new rules allowing another adult in room for interviews
First Presidency Directs Leaders to Prevent and Respond to Abuse
Natasha Helfer Parker interviews a prior bishop... who is choosing to remain anonymous due to a variety of concerns he has about talking about these topics to begin with (i.e. confidentiality of those he has served as a bishop, confidentiality of his own family situation and legal protection for sharing what he is talking about today). He will go by "Dave" in this interview and his voice has been altered to protect his identity.
Dave reached out to me due to my involvement with the protectldschildren.org movement where we are asking the church to consider stopping one-on-one bishop interviews where minors are asked about sexual behavior.
He is sharing his own experiences that he had as a father where one of his children had been molested in their ward building. He shares the experience he had with his wife as they tried to deal with this concern within the church system and how that ended up being futile. He also shares his experience with the church "hotline" that is supposed to help in these situations... and is very clear about the expectations members should have (or not have) when it comes to the system that is currently in place.
Dave also speaks about his own experience serving as a bishop and the types of training that were available, the guidance given when he himself was in a situation where people were reporting abuse, etc.
His main message to listeners throughout the podcast is to gain a clear understanding of the legalities involved and how the church is in of itself a legal entity and will act as such (whether one considers this ethical/moral or not). And therefore, to make sure that as a victim or as a parent of a victim you are contacting appropriate authorities and resources... and not rely on the church to be a player in solving these issues.