Professional Documents
Culture Documents
TO ABUSE
This document summarizes current Church policies and guidelines on abuse.
All priesthood and auxiliary leaders should be familiar with and follow them
to help protect God’s children.
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Key Messages with guidelines in the BSA publication Guide to
Safe Scouting.
How Can Abuse Be Prevented?
• When a brother participates in a ministering
At Home
visit to an individual woman, he should go
Church leaders should do the following to help with his companion or with his wife.
prevent abuse in the home:
• When a member of a stake presidency or
• Encourage couples and families to live the bishopric or another assigned leader meets
gospel in the home. They should establish with a child, youth, or woman, he or she
patterns of kindness, respect, and open should ask a parent or another adult to be in
communication so that all family members an adjoining room, foyer, or hall. If the person
are comfortable discussing sensitive matters being interviewed desires, another adult
(see “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” may be invited to participate in the interview.
Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 145). Leaders should avoid all circumstances that
• Encourage parents to teach children could be misunderstood (see Handbook 1, 7.4).
information and skills appropriate to their age • On Church-sponsored overnight activities,
and maturity so they will know what to do if a child or youth may not stay in the tent or
faced with abuse. room of an adult leader unless the adult is
• Make members aware of these publications: his or her parent or guardian or there are at
Preventing and Responding to Spouse Abuse: least two adults in the tent or room who are
Helps for Members (1997) and Preventing and the same gender as the child or youth (see
Responding to Child Abuse: Helps for Members Handbook 2, 13.6.12).
(1997). • If adult leaders and children or youth share
other overnight facilities, such as a cabin,
At Church
there must be at least two adults in the facility
Church leaders should follow these guidelines to and they must be the same gender as the
help prevent abuse at Church: children or youth (see Handbook 2, 13.6.12).
• A person must not be given a Church calling
Responding to Abuse
or assignment that involves working with
children or youth if his or her membership (See Handbook 1, 17.3.2)
record is not in the ward or if it has an Church leaders and members should follow these
annotation for abuse (see Handbook 1: Stake guidelines when responding to abuse:
Presidents and Bishops [2010], 17.3.2). • When abuse occurs, the first and immediate
• When adults are teaching children or youth responsibility of Church leaders is to help
in Church settings, at least two responsible those who have been abused and to protect
adults should be present. The two adults could vulnerable persons from future abuse.
be two men, two women, or a married couple Members should never be encouraged to
(see Handbook 2: Administering the Church remain in a home or situation that is abusive
[2010], 11.8.1). Where it may not be practical to or unsafe.
have at least two adults in a classroom, leaders • Church leaders and members should be
should consider combining classes. caring, compassionate, and sensitive when
• At least two adults must be present on working with victims and perpetrators and
all Church-sponsored activities attended their families.
by youth or children. All adult leaders • Church leaders should never disregard a
participating in Scouting must be registered report of abuse or counsel a member not to
with the Boy Scouts of America (see First report criminal activity to law enforcement
Presidency letter, May 12, 2017) and comply personnel.
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• Church leaders and members should fulfill • For guidelines on handling situations involving
all legal obligations to report abuse to civil abuse, stake presidents and bishops should
authorities. refer to Handbook 1, 17.3.2.
• Priesthood leaders should help those who • For guidelines on handling confession,
have committed abuse to repent and cease restitution, investigation, communication
their abusive behavior (see Isaiah 1:18; with aggrieved victims, and confidentiality in
Doctrine and Covenants 64:7). situations involving abuse, stake presidents
• Professional counseling may be helpful and bishops should refer to Handbook 1,
for the victims and perpetrators and their 6.4 and 6.5.
families. It is almost always advised in cases • For guidelines on handling Church discipline
of serious abuse. in situations involving abuse, stake presidents
and bishops should refer to Handbook 1,
Teaching Stake and Ward Councils chapter 6.
Stake presidencies and bishoprics should • Church leaders should not testify in civil or
present this information in stake and ward criminal cases involving abuse without first
council meetings. Members of stake and ward conferring with the Office of General Counsel
councils should then discuss this material in their at Church headquarters, 1-800-453-3860,
respective presidency and leadership meetings ext. 2-6301. For specific guidelines, see
and with others, as needed. They should: Handbook 1, 17.1.26.
• Teach the key messages in this outline and
invite discussion from adult priesthood and Other Resources
auxiliary leaders. As part of the discussion, • “Abuse: Help for the Victim,”
they might begin by watching the video ministeringresources.lds.org
Protect the Child: Responding to Child Abuse, • “Abuse: Help for the Offender,”
found under “Abuse: Help for the Victim” ministeringresources.lds.org
(ministeringresources.lds.org). Because this
• Articles of Faith 1:12
information is sensitive, they should seek the
guidance of the Spirit as they teach. • Doctrine and Covenants 121; 123
• Often a report of abuse will come to a trusted • Gordon B. Hinckley, “Personal Worthiness to
teacher or adviser. Members of stake and Exercise the Priesthood,” Ensign, May 2002,
ward councils should help leaders, teachers, 52–59
and members take proper steps in preventing • Gordon B. Hinckley, “What Are People Asking
and responding to abuse, including reporting about Us?” Ensign, Nov. 1998, 70–72
the abuse to appropriate civil authorities.
• Dallin H. Oaks, “Priesthood Authority in the
Family and the Church,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov.
Policy and Legal Issues Relating to Abuse
2005, 24–27
The following guidelines will help Church leaders
• Richard G. Scott, “To Heal the Shattering
handle policy and legal issues relating to abuse:
Consequences of Abuse,” Ensign or Liahona,
• Immediately call the help line at 1-800-453- May 2008, 40–43
3860, ext. 2-1911, when addressing situations
• LDS Family Services courses Strengthening
involving any type of abuse.
Marriage and Strengthening the Family
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© 2018 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. English approval: 8/17. PD60004798