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Mormon Church Sex Abuse Lawsuits: Survivors Are Seeking Justice And Exposing The LDS Power Structure
The power structure behind every religious denomination is only as morally sound as the people who are at the top. No human being is perfect. However, members of a church congregation expect those at the very top to be exemplars of moral purity.
Pound for pound — or more accurately, per capita — few religious denominations have exemplified the antithesis of that moral expectation more than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the LDS Church, and, somewhat derogatorily by outsiders, as the Mormon Church.
The LDS Church was supposed to be a sanctuary. A place of trust, community, and unwavering moral guidance. But for countless survivors, it became the setting for the betrayal of the most devastating kind: childhood sexual abuse, followed by cover-ups orchestrated by those in positions of spiritual and institutional power.
Over the past two decades, an increasing number of survivors of the Mormon Church sexual abuse scandal have stepped forward, revealing deeply disturbing allegations committed by bishops, youth leaders, missionaries, and other members in positions of church authority.
What’s more, many of these allegations involve not just isolated acts of abuse but systemic efforts to silence victims, shield abusers, and suppress the truth through internal reporting systems, non-disclosure agreements, and intimidation tactics.
The result? A growing number of lawsuits have been filed against the LDS Church, many of which allege decades of negligence, concealment, and re-traumatization.
If you were harmed by a leader, member, or institution affiliated with the LDS Church, you are not alone. Justice and compensation are possible. Healing, though difficult, begins with coming forward and sharing your story, confidentially.
The legal landscape surrounding sexual abuse within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) continues to evolve, with a growing number of lawsuits, state-level investigations, and advocacy efforts pushing for transparency and justice. Survivors — many of whom were children when the abuse occurred — are stepping forward in greater numbers, demanding answers from one of the wealthiest and most secretive religious institutions in the United States.
Here are some of the latest news stories covering the Mormon LDS church sexual abuse scandal.
March 8, 2025
Mormon Church Faces Nearly 100 Sexual Abuse Allegations in California
A wave of new lawsuits has been filed against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in California, alleging widespread sexual abuse by church leaders. The lawsuits stem from a three-year legal look-back window, which temporarily allowed survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file claims regardless of when the abuse occurred. Nearly 100 survivors have now come forward with accusations, painting a disturbing picture of systemic abuse and institutional cover-ups within the LDS Church.
February 25, 2025
Arizona Appeals Court Hears Case Against Mormon Bishop Accused of Failing to Report Child Abuse
Three siblings are asking the Arizona Court of Appeals to revive their lawsuit against a Mormon bishop and physician, John Herrod, who they say failed to report years of abuse by their father, Paul Adams. The children’s legal team argues that Herrod, acting as both their family doctor and a local LDS bishop at a small congregation in Bisbee, lost his legal right to keep the father’s confession private when he disclosed it to the children’s mother and urged her to call the police. The plaintiffs say this action waived any clergy-penitent privilege, meaning Herrod should have reported the abuse himself.
The lawsuit, filed in 2021, also targets the LDS Church, claiming leaders were aware of the abuse for years but chose to protect the church’s image instead of intervening. Herrod’s legal team said he was spiritually prohibited from reporting the confession and that his actions did not break confidentiality. The court is also weighing whether to allow new testimony from the now-teenaged children, who were too young to speak for themselves when the case was first filed. A final ruling from the three-judge panel is still pending.
February 12, 2025
LDS Church Hit With $25 Million Lawsuit Alleging Child Sexual Abuse Coverup
A new $25 million federal lawsuit filed in Eugene, Oregon, accuses the LDS Church of failing to report child sexual abuse after a church leader allegedly received reports about an adoptive father’s misconduct but took no action. The victim was placed in the Ridgefield, Washington, home of Craig and Jenny Ford, where she was later adopted and subjected to repeated abuse. Despite the family’s active involvement in a local LDS ward and the mother allegedly notifying Bishop Wade Pickett, no report was made to authorities. The abuse continued for months after the girl was taken to Oregon. The case highlights ongoing allegations that the church’s internal systems protect abusers rather than victims.
February 3, 2025
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation Petitioned To Consolidate Dozens of Federal LDS Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
Attorneys representing survivors of sexual abuse by members of the LDS Church have petitioned the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to consolidate 48 federal lawsuits into a single multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Central District of California. The lawsuits, filed across nine federal districts, allege a widespread cover-up by the LDS Church, including use of its internal “Help Line” to suppress abuse reports and protect abusers. Plaintiffs argue that consolidation is needed to streamline pretrial proceedings, prevent inconsistent rulings, and address shared questions about the Church’s internal policies and alleged destruction of evidence. They cite California’s favorable laws for survivors, the many cases already filed there, and experienced judges as reasons for centralization. If approved, this MDL could become one of the largest sex abuse proceedings against a religious institution in U.S. history.
February 1, 2024
The LDS Church Sexual Abuse Scandal: A History of Cover-Ups, Betrayal, and the Fight for Justice
The LDS Church is under fire as survivors come forward with decades of abuse allegations and cover-up claims. Recent lawsuits and exposés reveal church leaders shielded abusers and silenced victims, sparking calls for transparency and justice.
December 10, 2024
Fundamentalist LDS Leader With 20 Wives To Be Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Minors
Samuel Bateman, a polygamous religious leader who claimed more than 20 spiritual “wives,” including girls as young as nine, faces up to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to a years-long scheme involving child exploitation and kidnapping.
September 26, 2024
Dr. David Farley $970 Million Sexual Abuse Lawsuit: LDS Church Accused of Protecting A Predator
Dr. David Farley, a once prominent OB-GYN and esteemed member of the LDS church in Oregon, is facing a nearly $1 billion lawsuit with a plaintiff class of more than 170 of his former patients, who allege sexual abuse by him.
Many still refer to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the “Mormon Church.” However, church leaders have officially discouraged using that term since 2018. President Russell M. Nelson stated that nicknames like “Mormon” detract from the church’s central focus on Jesus Christ. But critics contend that there’s another reason for the distancing: the word “Mormon” has come to carry certain cultural baggage — including historical associations with polygamy and racially discriminatory policies (such as the church’s former ban on Black men holding the priesthood, which lasted until 1978). Moreover, the decades-long cover-up of institutional sexual abuse has tarnished the church’s squeaky-clean image.
Despite this, we use “Mormon Church” here to ensure that people searching for legal information, including those outside the faith or unfamiliar with the official name, can find the help they need.
$2.3 Billion LDS Church Sexual Abuse Verdict California (2023)
A Riverside County jury awarded $2.28 billion to a woman who was sexually abused by her stepfather from the ages of 5 to 14. The abuse took place in their home and on LDS Church property, where both of her parents were active members. The plaintiff alleged that multiple leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including bishops and counselors, failed to report the abuse to law enforcement, instead pressuring her to forgive her abuser and warning her that speaking out would harm her family. Her mother also knew of the abuse but did nothing to stop it. The abuse only came to an end in 1997 when the victim confided in her high school basketball coach, who reported it to a counselor. Her stepfather was arrested the same day, later pleading guilty to 55 counts and serving three years in prison.
The historic jury award included $836 million in compensatory damages and $1.44 billion in punitive damages, though the amount is largely symbolic, as the stepfather was the only remaining defendant at trial. The LDS Church denied wrongdoing but settled with the plaintiff for $1 million. The mother, also named in the lawsuit, settled for $200,000 in early 2023. According to the lawsuit, the stepfather had manipulated LDS doctrines to groom the victim and was supported in court by both her mother and church members, despite his conviction. The case has become one of the largest known verdicts in a sexual abuse case involving a religious institution.
The LDS Church was a key partner in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for decades and sponsored thousands of scouting units. When the BSA filed for bankruptcy in 2020 to deal with over 82,000 sexual abuse claims, the LDS Church faced growing legal exposure as a co-defendant in many cases.
In 2022, the church agreed to contribute $250 million to the BSA’s $2.4 billion survivor compensation trust — one of the largest contributions from any single religious institution in U.S. history.
In August 2022, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein rejected the proposed $250 million settlement between the BSA and the LDS Church. Judge Silverstein ruled that the agreement was overextended by attempting to release the church from liability for abuse claims unrelated to Scouting activities, stating it “stretches third-party releases too far.” Following this decision, the BSA revised its bankruptcy plan to exclude the $250 million contribution from the LDS Church. Instead, the church agreed to be treated as a participating organization within the BSA’s reorganization plan, aligning its treatment with other chartered organizations. As of March 2025, there have been no further publicly reported developments regarding a new settlement between the LDS Church and the BSA.
What this means for survivors….
The church avoided the $250 million payment but still participates in the BSA bankruptcy plan. In the process, the LDS church gained some liability protection tied to its formal role in the Boy Scouts of America, but not blanket immunity for all abuse-related claims.
Survivors can still pursue lawsuits against the church outside the BSA context.
$1 Million Settlement, Washington State (2023)
The LDS Church agreed to a $1.1 million settlement in a lawsuit brought by a man who was sexually abused as a preschooler by a teenage volunteer in his Tacoma ward. When the parents of the plaintiff, who was five at the time of the incident in the 1980s, told their bishop for the Mountain View Ward, the church leader said the same volunteer had been accused months before. However, the bishop discouraged the parents from going to the police.
The LDS Church reached an undisclosed settlement with six families in West Virginia who had filed a lawsuit alleging that church officials covered up years of sexual abuse committed by a member, Christopher Michael Jensen. The plaintiffs contended that the church and local leaders were aware of Jensen’s prior sexual abuse convictions and allegations but failed to take action to warn or protect their children.
The civil trial began in January 2018 in Berkeley County Circuit Court and concluded with the settlement announced by Judge Christopher Wilkes. Details of the agreement were not made public, and all parties were barred from discussing the case. This lawsuit is among several that have accused the LDS Church of mishandling or concealing reports of sexual abuse within its congregations.
Navajo Nation Lamanite Program Settlement (Undisclosed, 2018)
Multiple members of the Navajo Nation filed lawsuits against the Mormon Church, alleging they were sexually abused while participating in the church’s Indian Student Placement Program, also known as the Lamanite Placement Program. This initiative, which operated from 1954 until 2000, placed an estimated 50,000 Native American children with LDS foster families during the school year. The plaintiffs claimed that during their time in the program, they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse that the church failed to prevent or adequately address. By 2018, several of these cases reached confidential financial settlements, with no admission of wrongdoing by the LDS Church. The exact terms and amounts of these settlements were not disclosed.
Survivors of abuse in the Mormon Church describe a common pattern: abuse by someone in authority (such as a bishop, youth leader, or missionary companion), followed by institutional silence, coercion, or misdirection. These experiences aren’t isolated. They reflect systemic issues in how the LDS Church handles — or more often, fails to handle — sexual abuse allegations.
At the center of much of the criticism is the LDS Church’s so-called “help line.” Established in the mid-1990s, the line was designed for bishops and other lay leaders to seek guidance when someone disclosed child sexual abuse. However, the line routed calls directly to the church’s attorneys at a Salt Lake law firm, not to licensed counselors or child protection agencies, as an AP investigation revealed.
Instead of advising bishops to report sexual abuse to police, the help line has often prioritized protecting the church from liability. In multiple lawsuits, plaintiffs have alleged that the church used this line to suppress mandatory reports and coach leaders on how to legally avoid responsibility.
In the 2022 Paul Adams case (see above: Arizona Appeals Court Hears Case Against Mormon Bishop Accused of Failing to Report Child Abuse), the hotline was used after Adams admitted to bishops that he was sexually abusing his daughters. Rather than notifying law enforcement, the bishops were allegedly advised by the church’s legal team to remain silent due to “clergy-penitent privilege.” This legal advice allegedly allowed Adams to continue the abuse for years.
According to the AP report (per Business Insider), LDS Church protocol suggested that employees “never advise a priesthood leader to report abuse. Counsel of this nature should come only from legal counsel.”
The help line was established when reports of sexual abuse cases were increasing, and outcomes in lawsuits often awarded millions of dollars in damages to victims, the AP report stated.
Survivors say the LDS Church’s teachings about chastity, repentance, and church discipline create a culture of shame and silence that discourages abuse reporting. Victims are often told to “forgive” their abusers or are made to feel responsible for the abuse, particularly in cases where sexual purity is emphasized above personal safety.
In some cases, survivors have reported being pressured into signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) or facing excommunication threats if they went public. These tactics not only silence victims but also prevent others from coming forward, further enabling abusers.
If you or someone you love has experienced abuse connected to the LDS Church, you are not alone, and you do not have to stay silent. SurvivorsRights.com can connect you with experienced attorneys who understand what you’ve been through and can help you explore your legal options confidentially and compassionately.
One of the unique structural aspects of the LDS Church is its reliance on lay clergy, meaning bishops and church leaders are not trained professionals. Most bishops are volunteers, often with no background in mental health, social work, or law enforcement.
This model creates a dangerous dynamic: individuals in significant positions of spiritual power are entrusted with handling abuse disclosures, despite having no professional qualifications or safeguards in place. As a result, abuse disclosures are sometimes minimized, ignored, or dealt with internally rather than reported to the authorities.
Numerous lawsuits have argued that the LDS Church’s first priority in abuse cases is institutional protection. Documents uncovered in litigation show church attorneys developing strategies to protect the church’s reputation, often at the expense of victims’ welfare. In some cases, abusers were allowed to remain in positions of trust, moved to other wards, or quietly released without explanation.
Critics say the church’s vast legal and financial resources to settle cases, avoid public trials, and shield high-level leadership from scrutiny reveal a pattern of systemic cover-up, not just isolated failures.
Sexual abuse within the LDS Church has occurred not just in chapels or homes, but throughout a wide range of church-run programs, youth initiatives, and missionary assignments. These environments are where adult leaders wield significant authority over minors. Survivors have increasingly reported that these programs created conditions where predators could exploit trust, religious reverence, and institutional insulation to commit abuse unchecked.
Here are some of the most significant LDS-affiliated programs linked to abuse:
As mentioned in the above section on notable settlements and lawsuits, this now-defunct program, officially called the “Lamanite Placement Program,” placed tens of thousands of Native American children into white LDS families from the 1940s through the 1990s under the guise of providing education and spiritual development. Survivors have since come forward alleging widespread physical, sexual, and emotional abuse in the foster homes and wards they were assigned to. The church allegedly failed to investigate or prevent the abuse, survivors reported.
Lawsuits filed by Navajo Nation citizens claim the church used its authority and influence to avoid scrutiny and silence victims. The program is now widely criticized for its colonialist undertones, racial targeting, and lack of oversight.
The LDS Church was one of the largest sponsors of BSA troops in the United States until it formally ended the relationship in 2019. However, the damage had already been done:
LDS-sponsored scouting programs were implicated in hundreds, if not thousands, of sexual abuse claims filed as part of the BSA’s historic bankruptcy case.
As noted above, in 2022, the LDS Church offered a $250 million contribution to the BSA survivor fund — a payment that would have protected the church from further liability related to scouting abuse. A U.S. Bankruptcy Judge rejected that settlement, allowing survivors to continue pursuing claims against the church.
Many of the survivors claim church officials knew of abusers in their troops and failed to act.
These gender-specific youth programs are central to LDS life, preparing teenagers for missions, temple ordinances, and adult responsibilities. But within these “spiritual training grounds,” abuse has also occurred.
Survivors report being groomed by leaders, including teachers, youth advisors, and priesthood holders — some of whom were later transferred quietly or allowed continued access to children after allegations surfaced.
In several lawsuits, plaintiffs allege that complaints made within the church were dismissed, minimized, or buried by local leadership.
Church-run camps and weekend retreats — often held in isolated, overnight settings — have been the backdrop of multiple abuse reports. These programs place minors under the supervision of adult leaders with little external oversight, and some survivors say their abusers used the church’s strict rules around obedience and modesty to manipulate and shame victims into silence.
Many missionaries are teenagers or young adults placed in highly structured, often isolated environments. Reports have emerged of:
Notably, former MTC President Joseph Bishop was accused of sexually assaulting a sister missionary in the 1980s, yet continued serving in high church roles. His case, along with secret recordings of admissions and denials, has become emblematic of how institutional loyalty often supersedes survivor protection.
These programs weren’t simply background settings — they were church-sponsored environments where abuse was enabled by a lack of transparency, inadequate adult supervision, and deeply ingrained trust in LDS leadership. For many survivors, these settings were not just physical places but emotional and spiritual battlegrounds where their faith and safety were violated.
Survivors deserve to know: if you were harmed in any church-sponsored program — even decades ago — you may have a legal case. These environments were under church control, and that means the church may be held accountable.
The sexual abuse crisis within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has unfolded over decades, marked by repeated patterns of abuse, institutional cover-ups, and legal efforts to hold the church accountable. Below is a timeline of key events that have shaped the growing legal and cultural reckoning within the Mormon Church.
As more survivors speak out and courts begin to chip away at the legal defenses historically used by the LDS Church, public awareness is growing. Church policies and internal procedures are now under intense scrutiny, and legislative reforms in several states are being pushed to remove religious exemptions in mandatory reporting laws.
This timeline is still unfolding — and your voice, your story, could be part of the next chapter toward justice and change.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is confronting an escalating legal landscape, with numerous sexual abuse lawsuits challenging its institutional practices and accountability.
As of 2023, external estimates suggest that the LDS Church’s total wealth has reached approximately $265 billion, marking an increase of nearly $29 billion from the previous year. This staggering amount makes it clear that the LDS Church has the deep pockets to compensate victims handsomely — if it chooses to do the right thing.
In the realm of legal proceedings against large institutions like the LDS Church, two primary mechanisms are often employed to handle numerous similar cases:
Given the diverse nature of the allegations against the LDS Church, MDL is often more applicable. This approach allows for the consolidation of numerous individual lawsuits, each with unique circumstances, under a single judicial umbrella for streamlined pretrial processes.
The LDS Church is currently facing a significant number of sexual abuse lawsuits:
National Scope: While exact numbers fluctuate, the church is contending with dozens of lawsuits nationwide.
If you were sexually abused by someone affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — whether recently or decades ago — you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. Survivors often wonder, “Do I have a case?” or “Is it too late?” The answer may surprise you.
Thanks to changes in state laws and a growing number of legal victories, more survivors than ever are stepping forward and pursuing justice.
Sexual abuse lawsuits against the LDS Church focus on institutional negligence, not just the individual perpetrator. That means you may have a case if:
It’s not just about what happened — it’s about what the LDS Church did (or didn’t do) once it became aware.
Many states like California have passed “lookback window” laws that allow survivors to file lawsuits even if the abuse occurred years or even decades ago. In some states, the statute of limitations has been extended or lifted entirely for childhood sexual abuse claims. (We’ll explore this in the next section.)
Every survivor’s situation is different, but there’s one consistent truth: you deserve justice, and you deserve options. An attorney who specializes in LDS Church sexual abuse cases can help determine:
If you’re unsure where to start, SurvivorsRights.com can connect you with an attorney experienced in handling LDS sexual abuse lawsuits. It’s completely confidential, and there’s no obligation to move forward unless you’re ready.
One of the biggest reasons survivors hesitate to come forward is fear that it’s “too late” — that too much time has passed since the abuse occurred. But the law has changed dramatically in recent years, and in many states, it’s no longer too late at all.
If you or someone you love was abused by a leader, missionary, or member of the LDS Church — even decades ago — you may still have legal options.
The statute of limitations (SOL) is a legal deadline for filing a lawsuit. Once that deadline passes, victims usually lose the right to take civil action—unless there’s an exception. Unfortunately, many childhood sexual abuse cases were barred for years because victims didn’t come forward in time. That’s now changing.
More than 25 states have reformed or eliminated statutes of limitations for childhood sexual abuse lawsuits in the past decade. Increasingly, lawmakers are becoming more trauma-informed. As a result, they have a better understanding that survivors often take years or even decades to process trauma, especially when abuse is compounded by shame, religious coercion, or community pressure.
These reforms are especially important for survivors of Mormon Church abuse, where cultural silence and institutional pressure have long delayed reporting.
Don’t assume that it’s too late to pursue justice. The laws are shifting, and many survivors who thought they missed their chance are now filing successful lawsuits.
Even in states with stricter statutes, you may still qualify if:
These circumstances can sometimes extend or “toll” the statute of limitations, especially in institutional abuse cases.
The only way to know for sure is to speak with an attorney experienced in LDS sexual abuse litigation. They can:
SurvivorsRights.com can connect you with an attorney who will review your case confidentially and for free. It’s your story — and it’s your time to be heard.
One of the most common questions survivors have is: “If I come forward, what kind of compensation is possible?” While no amount of money can undo the trauma, financial settlements can help survivors rebuild their lives — and hold institutions accountable for the harm they enabled.
The LDS Church has quietly paid out millions of dollars in sexual abuse settlements over the years. But many of those payouts have been shielded from public scrutiny due to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and sealed court documents.
That’s changing.
There’s no one-size-fits-all number when it comes to sexual abuse settlements. Several factors can impact how much a survivor may receive in compensation, including:
In general, cases involving institutional cover-ups, repeated failures to report, or multiple victims often result in higher payouts.
Average Settlement Ranges in Church Abuse Cases
While figures vary widely, here are some general benchmarks based on public settlements involving the LDS Church and other religious institutions:
Settlements may include:
Many survivors also describe the value of a settlement not just in financial terms, but in finally feeling acknowledged and believed.
Not always. In fact, many LDS Church abuse lawsuits settle before reaching trial. The church often chooses confidential settlements to avoid public exposure and scrutiny. But with growing media attention and survivor-led class actions, more plaintiffs are pushing for public accountability, not silence.
Whether you want to settle quietly or take your case all the way to court, you have the power to decide. An attorney can help you weigh your options.
The LDS Church has built a reputation for organizational efficiency, financial discipline, and a tightly controlled public image. But when it comes to handling sexual abuse claims, survivors, attorneys, and advocacy groups say the church’s priority has often been protection of the institution — not protection of the vulnerable.
Understanding how the LDS Church responds to sexual abuse claims reveals a deeper pattern of secrecy, legal maneuvering, and carefully controlled settlements.
Church Statements and Survivor Responses
The LDS Church maintains that it complies with all local laws and that its abuse reporting systems are intended to protect children. However, internal documents, recorded calls and whistleblower testimonies have raised serious concerns about how the church prioritizes legal liability and reputation management over victim safety.
Survivor-led groups like Protect Every Child, SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), and Mormon Stories have led grassroots efforts to expose the systemic failures and support survivors.
If you’re an LDS sexual abuse survivor, Survivors Rights can help connect you with an attorney who specializes in holding religious institutions accountable. Your voice matters — and justice is possible.
One of the most controversial issues surrounding LDS Church settlements is where the money comes from.
The church collects billions annually in tithing — voluntary donations from members amounting to 10% of their income. According to whistleblower documents and investigative reports, the church holds over $265 billion in assets, managed primarily through Ensign Peak Advisors.
Survivors and advocacy groups have questioned whether abuse settlements are being paid from these sacred donations, and if so, why the church is not being more transparent with its members. In 2023, The Guardian reported that survivors were demanding answers about how church funds were being used to cover legal liabilities, especially given the scale of the church’s financial empire. The LDS Church has not publicly confirmed or denied whether tithing funds are used for settlements, adding to criticism about secrecy.
Use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
The LDS Church has been known to use non-disclosure agreements in abuse settlements, requiring survivors to remain silent in exchange for compensation.
These NDAs are deeply controversial. While they may offer closure for some survivors, others say they prevent public awareness, protect abusers, and perpetuate a culture of silence. Many survivors who signed NDAs years ago now regret it, saying they were pressured into secrecy while the church avoided accountability.
Some states are now passing laws to limit the use of NDAs in sexual abuse cases, and courts have begun to scrutinize their use when it comes to cases involving minors and religious institutions.
The LDS Church often issues public statements expressing “zero tolerance” for abuse and a commitment to child safety. But survivors and attorneys say the church’s legal actions often tell a different story:
Survivors say this disconnect between words and actions only deepens the trauma, and reinforces why lawsuits are necessary to demand change.
“The church says all the right things publicly,” one survivor said, “but when it’s your life, your case, your pain — they treat you like a liability.”
When survivors think about filing a lawsuit, the first question is often, “Do I sue the abuser?” But in many LDS Church sexual abuse cases, the real legal target isn’t just the individual who committed the abuse — it’s the institution that allowed it to happen, failed to stop it, or actively covered it up.
In other words, it’s not just about who did the abuse. It’s about who enabled it.
If your abuser is still alive, they can often be sued directly. This includes bishops, youth leaders, missionaries, family members affiliated with the church, or anyone in a position of trust within the LDS community. In some cases, criminal charges may also apply.
Though part of the larger church structure, local LDS wards (congregations) and stakes (regional leadership units) may be held liable if local leaders failed to act on reports of abuse, discouraged victims from speaking up, or knowingly allowed abusers continued access to minors.
This is the official legal entity of the LDS Church, and often the primary defendant in civil lawsuits. It owns the church’s vast global assets and is responsible for centralized decision-making, including legal strategy, abuse protocol, and leadership oversight.
This entity has been named in dozens of lawsuits for its role in enabling abuse through systemic negligence, failure to report, and cover-up tactics.
In some cases, lawyers or individuals advising church leaders may be sued or deposed if they played an active role in suppressing abuse reports or pressuring victims into silence. While rare, these lawsuits are sometimes included in broader institutional claims.
In many LDS Church sexual abuse cases, the survivor never would have been harmed (or re-harmed) if the institution had acted responsibly. That’s why civil lawsuits target the broader church, not just to compensate the survivor, but to expose a pattern of institutional failure and push for systemic reform.
Key legal arguments often include:
It’s not enough that abuse occurred. What strengthens a case — and increases potential compensation — is evidence that the LDS Church:
When those elements are present, the church can be held accountable just like any other institution, whether religious, educational, or corporate.
At SurvivorsRights.com, we help connect survivors with attorneys who know how to take on powerful institutions like the LDS Church. If you’re not sure who should be held responsible in your case, a legal expert can help clarify your options confidentially and at no cost.
Each situation is unique, but LDS Church abuse lawsuits often rely on the following types of evidence:
Even if you don’t have all this right now, don’t let that stop you. Attorneys who handle these cases are trained to help uncover the truth and build a strong legal strategy.
Whether you’re ready to file a claim or just need answers, SurvivorsRights.com is here to help.
You’ve lived with the weight of this long enough. Let us help you find out if justice is still within reach.
If you file a lawsuit against the LDS Church, you may be entitled to a wide range of damages.
In some cases, the court may award punitive damages, which are additional financial penalties meant to punish the LDS Church for egregious misconduct or institutional cover-ups. These are especially likely when there is clear evidence that the church:
Most LDS Church abuse cases settle out of court, often before trial. Settlements are typically negotiated based on:
Survivors have the right to reject any settlement that doesn’t feel fair or adequate. You’re in control of the process.
You don’t have to go through this alone. In addition to legal representation, you may find strength in numbers through organizations dedicated to supporting survivors of religious abuse, including:
Every time a survivor tells their story, files a lawsuit, or demands change, the pressure on the LDS Church to reform increases. Public accountability leads to:
This isn’t just about the past — it’s about the future. Your voice matters. And when you speak up, others find the courage to do the same.
If you’re ready to talk to someone who understands, SurvivorsRights.com is here to help.
Whether you want to explore legal options, connect with advocacy groups, or just understand your rights, our team is here to support you confidentially, respectfully, and on your terms.
If you’re a survivor of sexual abuse connected to the LDS Church, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed, uncertain, or even afraid to take the next step. For years you may have been made to feel powerless, silenced, or ignored.
You deserve to be heard. You deserve to be believed. And you deserve accountability.
At SurvivorsRights.com, we’re here to connect you with experienced, compassionate attorneys who understand the unique dynamics of LDS Church abuse cases. Your consultation is 100% confidential and completely free, with no obligation to move forward unless you’re ready.
You’ve carried this burden long enough. Let us help you turn it into a case for justice.