I wanted to thank BYU and its administration for permitting the abuse conference. I, for one, think it’s very important to become aware of abuse in our communities.
Physical, emotional and sexual abuse are topics that may be difficult to discuss but are essential to understand. We don’t live in a perfect world and people do heinous things, both in and out of the Church.
I have a friend who was raped by her father. Over the years, she has suffered not only from that degradation but also from the prejudices of family members and Church leadership. I don’t say this to criticize. My only hope is that eyes may be opened.
There were also many who believed her and supported her the way that the Church was structured to do. In the case of rape and abuse no one is safe. Please don’t think that it can’t happen in your ward or in your own family, for that matter.
Walking by the Eyring Science Center on Friday I saw a lot of red flags. Previous experience had taught me that those red flags represent women who had been raped in Utah county during the previous year. I read the explanation that came with it which said that 229 women had been raped. However, it is estimated that only 10 percent of rapes are reported.
We will all know someone who has been abused or raped in our lifetimes. These are people who need our love and our compassion. Please know that it can, and unfortunately probably will, happen to someone you know and love. Lose your prejudices and reach out a helping hand. Don’t be afraid to get too deeply involved; you’ll never regret helping someone heal.
Jason Doolittle
Morgan Hill, Calif.
