Recordings show how the Mormon church protects itself from child sex abuse claims

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The article titled “Recordings show how the Mormon church protects itself from child sex abuse claims” reveals a troubling situation involving the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon church) and its handling of child sexual abuse allegations. The article details a case where a woman named Chelsea Goodrich accused her father, a former bishop in the church, of sexually abusing her during her childhood.

In March 2017, Chelsea and her mother, Lorraine, met with Paul Rytting, an attorney and head of the church’s Risk Management Division, in Hailey, Idaho. They sought the church’s cooperation in allowing a local bishop, Bishop Michael Miller, who had heard a confession from Chelsea’s father, to testify at John Goodrich’s trial. However, the church employed a risk management playbook that discouraged Miller from testifying, citing a law that exempts clergy from divulging information obtained during a confession.

Audio recordings obtained by The Big Big News reveal Rytting’s efforts to discourage testimony, along with offers of hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for a confidentiality agreement. Ultimately, the charges against John Goodrich were dropped, and he remains free.

The article sheds light on the use of confidentiality agreements, often referred to as NDAs, to keep sexual abuse allegations secret. Chelsea and Lorraine accepted a settlement from the church, which included an NDA, preventing them from suing the church while allowing Chelsea to share her story with the public.

This case highlights the challenges and complexities surrounding child sexual abuse allegations within religious organizations and the legal mechanisms used to protect the institutions involved.

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