1846: The Church Bought My Silence - Chelsea Goodrich
Dec 20, 2023
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Chelsea Goodrich shares her traumatic experience of sexual abuse by her father, a former Mormon bishop, revealing the church's negligence. Despite settlements and NDAs, Chelsea bravely speaks out to protect potential victims, shedding light on the LDS church's coverups and victim blaming.
Victims deserve protection and support from institutions when reporting abuse.
Cultural norms can hinder justice by favoring abusers over victims within communities.
Seeking refuge and legal counsel are crucial steps in escaping abusive situations.
External support is vital in challenging internal dynamics that perpetuate abuse.
Institutional secrecy and manipulation can impede the pursuit of justice for abuse survivors.
Advocacy efforts and media exposure can bring attention to institutional failures in handling abuse cases.
Deep dives
Experiencing Trauma and Seeking Justice
Chelsea Goodrich recounts the trauma of sexual abuse by her father, detailing incidences from her childhood where her father manipulated and abused her, despite appearing remorseful initially. She reveals how her family dynamics and church involvement complicated seeking justice and protection, as church leaders were reluctant to take action, leading to her father's eventual excommunication.
Legal and Emotional Struggles
Chelsea describes the legal hurdles and emotional turmoil she faced after her father's excommunication. She recounts how her father's behavior escalated from penitence to aggression, including physically blocking her from leaving and intimidating her. The lack of support and disbelief from local church members added to her distress, highlighting a culture that prioritizes protecting abusers over victims.
Escaping an Oppressive Environment
In response to the escalating aggression from her father, Chelsea and her family decided to flee to a different town for safety. An attorney advised her mother to leave the town due to anticipated lack of community support. Moving to a new location and standing together as a family became essential for navigating the challenges posed by her father's actions and the church's response.
Revealing Betrayal and Securing Support
Despite facing resistance and lack of communication from local church leaders, Chelsea's family learned about her father's excommunication through external sources, like a Mormon general authority. This revelation underscored the betrayal by church leadership and the importance of external support in the face of internal community challenges. Chelsea's journey sheds light on the complexities of seeking justice and healing after enduring abuse within a religious context.
Family Discord and Secrecy in Church Proceedings
Family Discord emerged when a family attended a canceled church meeting, eventually leading to the father's excommunication. The disciplinary council was shrouded in secrecy, denying family members the opportunity to witness and testify. The father manipulated the narrative, accusing the mother of abuse during the divorce proceedings, causing community polarization.
Chronology of Legal Battles and Community Response
Legal battles unfolded as the daughter pursued justice through court proceedings against her father's alleged sexual abuse. Despite recordings of confessions, discrepancies arose in legal interventions, resulting in dropped criminal charges and failure to protect potential victims. The daughter's fight for justice extended to exposing the church's ineffective handling of abuse cases.
Reaching Out to Church Authorities for Accountability
Desperate for justice and accountability, the daughter engaged with church authorities seeking transparency and safeguards against further abuse. Negotiations with Paul Ridding, a church representative, led to financial settlements, yet failed to prevent ongoing family tensions and endangerment of children. The daughter's relentless pursuit of truth exposed institutional shortcomings and the need for comprehensive reforms.
Media Intervention and Advocacy for Victims' Rights
In light of failed legal recourse, the daughter collaborated with the Associated Press to shed light on the injustice and protect potential victims. Media exposure facilitated public awareness, demanding accountability from both legal and religious institutions. The daughter's advocacy efforts aimed to empower victims, prevent abuse, and provoke systemic reform.
Cover-up Allegations and Lack of Accountability
The episode discusses allegations of a cover-up related to child sexual abuse within a family. It reveals the struggles faced by the speaker in trying to seek accountability for the abuse, including encounters with legal and law enforcement authorities and lack of action taken by individuals and institutions. The episode highlights the complexities of navigating systems that may not prioritize justice for victims.
Conflicts of Interest and Legal Challenges
The speaker shares instances of conflicts of interest and challenges faced within the legal system while seeking justice for the abuse experienced. From interactions with legal representatives, concerns about the handling of criminal cases, and the impact of power dynamics, the episode sheds light on the difficulties in ensuring accountability and fair treatment.
Call for Transparency and Advocacy for Victims
The episode concludes with a call for transparency and accountability, urging organizations like the LDS Church to address issues of sexual abuse and protect vulnerable individuals. The speaker emphasizes the importance of advocating for victims, promoting transparency, and working towards systemic changes that prioritize the well-being and justice for survivors of abuse.
Content warning: mentions of abuse, incest, drugging.
In this interview, Chelsea Goodrich details years of sexual abuse by her father, former Mormon bishop John Goodrich, beginning when she was a young child. When confronted in 2015, John admitted the abuse to both Chelsea's mother and their Mormon leaders. However, the church failed to act to protect Chelsea, support victims, or warn others. John faced excommunication but no criminal charges due to statute of limitations. In 2017, another victim came forward alleging John drugged and raped her. Despite evidence, prosecutors eventually only tried John for illegal drugging. Meanwhile, John remarried and had access to grandchildren, prompting safety concerns for Chelsea. Desperate, Chelsea and her mother sought help from church representative Paul Rytting only to be offered settlement money and asked to sign nondisclosure agreements.
Ultimately, Chelsea decides to go public to protect other potential victims from a predator still left free. Her story exposes the patterns of coverups, victim blaming, inaction, and secrecy in the Mormon church around abuse.
