Program works to help polygamists

Bigamy is illegal in both Utah and Arizona, where most known Intermountain West polygamous sects are located. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, who has long said he would not prosecute adults in polygamous relationships, said he believed communication could lead to a new level of openness that would help prevent abuse.

With the support of the Arizona attorney general, social services providers, nonprofits and representatives from several polygamous groups from both states gathered to talk about and seek solutions to problems.

It could easily have been a lose-lose proposition. Critics of plural marriage sat on one side of the table, squaring off with women — and sometimes men — who defend or live in the polygamous culture. As mediator, the Utah attorney general's office reached out to polygamists, but also couldn't ignore its underlying prosecutorial responsibility.

Despite the uneasy footing, the group forged small initiatives that began to break down barriers, build trust and connect individuals with the help they needed. The committee also produced a primer for service providers that gives a cultural overview of the polygamous culture, including a snapshot of the various organized polygamous churches and a glossary of common terms.

"This is where (Shurtleff) deserves a lot of credit," said Paul Murphy, spokesman for the attorney general's office and the original committee's chairman. "There was nothing to be gained politically or professionally, and this was kind of a middle approach to polygamy that nobody had tried before."

Last year, with $305,000 in funding from the Utah Legislature, Shurtleff's office asked the Family Support Center, a Utah nonprofit that has provided counseling, parenting classes and other services for 33 years, to take over Safety Net. The original committee of advisors, including Murphy, still meets monthly and continues a spirited discussion of the issues.

"What I envisioned in the beginning, I'm actually seeing in action now," said Mary Batchelor, a co-founder of the Principle Voices. "I believe we are still in the early stages of what we can be."