Sexual Abuse

John Goodrich was the subject of an Associated Press investigation into how the church protects itself from allegations of sexual abuse.

The bill does not remove the legal loophole known as clergy-penitent privilege. But Rep. Anthony Loubet said it could incentivize clergy members to come forward.

Similar clergy-penitent privilege bills have failed in the past. However, Rep. Anthony Loubet’s proposal has one major difference, resulting in a lack of opposition from the state's dominant faith.

Patrick Kearon, the newest member of the body that governs The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has said he would like see the faith better care for sex abuse victims.

A former LDS bishop whom a top church official said committed “sexual transgression” with his own daughter was excommunicated after making a religious confession. Recordings obtained by The Associated Press show that instead of helping prosecutors, the church used a legal playbook that keeps sex abuse secret.

Cochise County Superior Court Judge Timothy Dickerson said the state’s clergy-penitent privilege excused two bishops and several other church officials from Arizona’s child sex abuse mandatory reporting law because Paul Adams initially disclosed that he was sexually abusing his daughter during a confession to his bishop.

Five women are suing the founder of an anti-child-trafficking group that inspired a popular movie this year, alleging he sexually manipulated, abused and harassed them on overseas trips designed to lure and catch child sex traffickers.

The ruling stems from a child sex abuse lawsuit filed by three children who accused the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of a conspiracy to cover up their abuse by their father, church member Paul Adams.

On March 12, 2003, Elizabeth Smart was discovered in Sandy, Utah with her kidnappers. She now uses her own pain to help other sexual violence victims.

Seventy-eight-year-old Carl Matthew Johnson was sentenced Thursday on four counts of sexual abuse of a child stemming from his plea deal in January. The judge gave him nine years to life for three first-degree felonies and one to 15 years for a second-degree felony, all to run consecutively.

Behind-the-scenes conversations between legislative leaders and what Senate President Stuart Adams said was “a broad base of religious groups” helped thwart four separate proposals to add clergy to the list of professionals required to report child sexual abuse.

The details of Samuel Bateman's life were alleged in an FBI affidavit released last Friday. Bateman faces state and federal charges of child abuse and tampering with evidence.