SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 27, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Monday announced changes to its policy on counseling victims of abuse.
A letter and resource document were sent to Church leaders in the United States and Canada, a Church news release states.
The document includes an updated version of the guidelines for counseling abuse victims that were first issued in 2008. It also outlines how to identify abuse and refers to specific Church doctrine regarding any form of abuse.
The document goes on to address prevention of abuse in the home and at church, and provides guidelines and additional resources for Church leaders and members to follow when responding to situations of abuse.
The updated policy comes after allegations by a former missionary that she was sexually assaulted in 1984 by Joseph L. Bishop, who was president of the Missionary Training Center at that time.
To view the resource document with the updated guidelines, click here.
The letter sent to all Church leaders appears below.
