Mormon leaders accused of 'covering up' a decades-long 'epidemic' of sexual abuse and INCEST that rivals scandals in Catholic church

DailyMail.com has combed through reams of court documents and spoken to around a dozen church members to expose the true scale of alleged abuse

by Miles Dilworth

• In Oregon, three women have accused the church of failing to protect them from a Mormon doctor who allegedly assaulted more than 200 female patients.

• In California, the church allegedly 'fostered and encouraged' the 'silence and the cover-up' of child sexual abuse, including that of a three-year-old girl.

• In Colorado, bishops are accused of perpetuating a cycle of incestual abuse within a toxic family by failing to report it to the authorities.

• And in Utah, ecclesiastical leaders allegedly failed to act on reports a member of the church was abusing a young girl, leaving the perpetrator free to rape another woman in 2014.

It comes after a court in Arizona earlier this month ruled that church officials who knew that a member was sexually abusing his daughter had no duty to report the abuse to police because the information was received during a spiritual confession.

Victims who spoke to DailyMail.com said this was repeatedly used as an excuse for bishops to hide abuse from authorities, often allowing it to carry on for years.

Women claimed church culture acts as a breeding ground for abuse, pointing to the belief within Mormonism that local bishops - laymen with no pastoral training - are divinely called by God and led by spiritual revelations, meaning their authority cannot be questioned.

It is also alleged that church leaders have repeatedly brushed cases of abuse under the carpet to allow young men to complete missionary programs - a crucial 'rites of passage' trip in which Mormons are sent to spread the word of the gospel.

Kathleen Wallace, 39, who claims her abuse by a family member was kept under wraps by the church, said she believed that sexual abuse was an 'epidemic' within the church that was 'just as bad as the Catholic church, if not far worse'.

The mother-of-two added: 'I think that there's extremely high rates of incest and sexual abuse going on in Mormon homes. This kind of abuse is rampant.'

The Mormon church did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com. 

Abused by trusted doctor

Nicole Snow, 32, grew up in a Mormon family in Wilsonville, Oregon.

There she attended church with Harvard graduate Dr David Farley, who was also an ecclesiastical leader and 'stake high counselor'.

As an esteemed community figure, Farley counted most of the women there as his patients.

Snow's mother began taking her to see him when she was aged 15 after she complained of chronic stomach pain.

But under the guise of seeking to relieve her constipation, he allegedly performed an ungloved rectal examination.

He later digitally penetrated her vagina, causing 'immense physical pain', and suggested that he 'break her hymen' to 'ensure sex was more pleasurable', Snow claims.

Between 2007 and 2009, Farley allegedly sexually abused and harassed her on at least five occasions.

The claims are contained within a civil lawsuit filed by four women, including Snow, in October 2020, which details egregious allegations of sexual assault against the once respected doctor.

Since then, more than 200 women have come forward with similar allegations of sexual abuse against Farley, according to a letter sent to the Oregon Attorney General in September last year.

The women, many of whom are Mormon, claim that Farley used his position within the community to gain their trust, before grooming and sexually abusing them.

The lawsuit was filed shortly after Farley had his license revoked by the Oregon Medical Board.

A panel of medical professionals found he forced 'numerous' young girls to undergo unnecessary pelvic examinations and photographed children's breasts and genitalia under the guise of conducting a 'puberty study'.

---

Campamento Tortuguero Playa Hermosa is a turtle sanctuary on Bonfil  Beach outside of Acapulco that rescues sea turtle eggs that would be likely destroyed by vehicles on the beaches or pilfered by tourists.   The sanctuary protects the eggs, hatches them and releases the babies into the ocean while protecting them from seagulls and other winged predators.  
The 35-year-old sanctuary is run by the mother/daughter duo of Monica and Michel Vallarino, who have helped educate the community and the tourists on the ecology of the turtles while simultaneously providing a refuge for puppies, kittens, ducks,  rabbits, and other wayward animals.
The Art of Liberty  Foundation hosted an annual fundraiser from 2018-2020 called the Art of  Liberty on the Beach (aKa The Turtle Party), where many of the leading artists in the liberty movement have rocked the sanctuary including Grant "Prezence" Ellman, Truniversal/Free Willow, Alais Clay, the  Freenauts, DJ Koala, DJ Ramiro Romani and ELA-mental among others.  
The sanctuary was devasted by Hurricane Otis, a category five hurricane that hit Acapulco and Bonfil Beach on November 2nd 2023. 

25% of Funds Raised Will Benefit Other Residents of Bonfil Beach

The Art of Liberty Foundation is organizing a fundraiser where 100% of the proceeds will go to direct relief.  The Vallarinos have agreed to share 25% of the proceeds with other Bonfil Beach residents in need to be distributed at their discretion.