LDS HOTLINE TO HELP LEADERS DEAL WITH ABUSE

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has established a telephone help line for lay leaders attempting to deal with cases of abuse, especially child abuse.

Child advocates and counselors praise the concept, but several question the church's motives.A May 10 internal memorandum from the church's Presiding Bishopric mandates that local ecclesiastical leaders in the United States and Canada who become aware of abuse involving church members are to call the toll-free help line.

"This will enable the caller to consult with social services, legal and other specialists who can assist in answering questions and in formulating steps that should be taken.

"Information about local reporting requirements will also be provided," and the calls will be confidential, the memo concludes.

Church spokesman Don LeFevre said the church published a pamphlet 10 years ago that gives ecclesiastical leaders guidance on dealing with child abuse cases. The hotline was implemented recently as an additional resource, he said.

Counselors and attorneys who deal with child sexual abuse cases unanimously praised the idea of a hotline, although some characterize it as belated and merely an attempt to ward off legal liability.

Others believe the church should insist its leaders immediately call the proper police or social agency as required in the child abuse laws of most states.

"Far be it from me to question their motives," said Marion Smith, a retired sex abuse counselor and founder of the Intermountain Sexual Abuse Treatment Center. "But it concerns me that they feel it necessary to run it through their team instead of saying that any abuse has to be reported to police, which is the protocol anyway.

"It's great that they're responding to the need, and if people feel more comfortable going through that line," she said.

The memorandum, signed by Presiding Bishop Merrill J. Bateman and counselors H. David Burton and Richard C. Edgley , terms abuse of any kind "tragic" and "in opposition to the teachings of the Savior."

It instructs bishops and counselors in stake presidencies to consult with their stake president (who oversees several congregations) about "incidents of abuse that come to their attention."

Published reports indicate the 9 million-member church has been forced to settle several lawsuits involving cases of abuse.

For example, Jefferson County, Texas, court records show the church in January settled for an undisclosed amount a lawsuit filed by the parents of an 8-year-old girl who was repeatedly molested at an LDS chapel by a member of the congregation. The suspect, Ralph Neeley, was sentenced to life in prison.