A member of the LDS community in Pleasant Grove, Utah was arrested this weekend after confessing to 85 individual counts of sexual abuse against children. Police are reporting that the abuser, 33-year-old Andrew Bishop, turned himself over to authorities and admitted to his terrible crimes after being confronted by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
According to the Police report about this case, one of Bishop’s victims alerted church leaders about the abuse that had been ongoing for years.
Tragically, Bishop’s abuse started over 10 years before his recent arrest on Tuesday, September 8th. Bishop admitted to repeatedly abusing 5 victims during this time, and was not caught until one of his victims bravely came forward to alert church leaders of his wrongdoing.
When church leaders were alerted about the abuse, they apparently confronted Bishop directly, telling him that they would take the case to the Police if he did not come forward and admit to his crimes.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church, can scarcely afford to be involved in another legal case involving Child Sexual Abuse. In recent years, the church has faced several high profile child sexual abuse scandals that saw innocent victims abused for years while their abusers were protected by high-ranking church leaders. Dozens of victims have come forward in recent years to file lawsuits against the Church seeking millions of dollars in damages.
Recent Child Sexual Abuse cases filed against the LDS Church include:
• January, 2014: Two men in Hawaii file suit against the Mormon Church alleging years of abuse and lack of protection from church leaders.
• May, 2014: A 27-year-old woman files suit against the LDS church stemming from years of abuse that took place when she was 13 years old. Rather than reporting the abuser to the authorities, the victim alleges that her accusations were swept under the rug for years while her abuser walked free.
• August, 2015: Idaho’s Supreme Court rules that 16 men suing the Boy Scouts of America and LDS Church over years of repeated sexual abuse filed their case in time to pursue damages.
Unfortunately, there are many more examples of these types of Child Sexual Abuse cases focusing on the transgressions of members of the LDS Church. It is notoriously difficult for victims of child sexual abuse to come forward and publicly speak out against their abusers. More and more victims do come forward as they grow older and more independent to seek the justice the deserve.
If you or a loved one is a victim of child sexual abuse by a member of the clergy, a school teacher, or anyone else in a position of power, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, as well as physical and psychological injuries.
No victims of Child Sexual Abuse should have to suffer in silence, which is why it is so important for victims and families to contact the experienced, compassionate Child Sexual Abuse attorneys at Nix Patterson & Roach.
Nix, Patterson & Roach will work closely with you in a caring manner and work to hold abusers accountable for their crimes. Child sexual abuse cases are complex, and experienced Child Sexual Abuse lawyers of Nix, Patterson & Roach will handle your claim with the utmost discretion, dedication and compassion.
If you or a loved one has experienced child sexual abuse, call Nix Patterson & Roach at 1-800-220-1088 for a FREE, confidential and no-obligation consultation about your case. Our dedicated and compassionate child sexual abuse lawyers will review your case at no cost to you, and will fight hard to achieve the justice you and your family deserve.
You can trust Nix Patterson & Roach to handle your Child Sexual Abuse case with the utmost dedication, compassion and discretion. We have helped many victims of child sexual abuse get the justice and answers they needed. Call attorney Neil Smith today for a free consultation about your case.