Woman sues LDS church claiming bishop informed her to not report years of sexual abuse by excessive priest | EUROtoday

An Oregon girl has sued the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, claiming a bishop informed her to not report years of sexual abuse by a excessive priest.

The girl, who was a member of the Church, alleged she was raped by the excessive priest in 1995 when she was 10 years outdated, and the abuse continued till she was 15 years outdated, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported, citing the lawsuit filed Tuesday in a federal courtroom in Las Vegas.

The excessive priest, whose identify the newspaper didn’t disclose, had served on the East Stake 1st Ward in Las Vegas, counseling congregation members. The girl’s identification isn’t revealed within the lawsuit.

In 1999, the girl, then only a teenage woman, informed a bishop, who oversaw the ward, concerning the alleged abuse, the lawsuit says, however he informed her to not report it to police.

The bishop informed the woman that the Church would “‘handle’ the situation,” the lawsuit claims. But the Church ended up telling the excessive priest that the woman reported the abuse, “and took no meaningful action to prevent further harm.”

The lawsuit accuses the Church of negligent supervision and breach of a compulsory responsibility to report suspected youngster abuse.

It’s unclear whether or not the excessive priest confronted or will face prison prices for the accusations of abuse.

According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ web site, abuse, together with sexual hurt, “cannot be tolerated in any form and…those who abuse will be accountable before God.”

“Reports of abuse should never be dismissed. Everyone should respond with compassion and sensitivity toward victims and their families. Those affected by abuse need to be heard and supported,” an article on abuse from the Church reads.

The Church mentioned it “encourages the reporting of abuse to civil authorities, and Church leaders and members must fulfill all legal obligations to report abuse.”

The Independent has reached out to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for remark.