Ruby Jessop and her children are Free!
What are they free to do now that they couldn't do before?
Ruby can: protect her children, have her hair styled, read a newspaper, choose her own clothes, take a walk,
wear bright colors, sign up for a course, visit her sister, cook a balanced meal, file for divorce, and decide where
how, and with whom she will live from now on.
The children can: wear short sleeves on a hot day, ride a bike, eat fruits and vegetables, go to school,
play with toys, go to the library, have their first taste of ice cream, make friends, watch TV, sleep in
safety, learn about the world, and imagine what they might be when they grow up.
Originally published by Phoenix New Times in December, 1994
The report reproduced here, by Lisa Davis, is a well-researched analysis of abuses that occur within the mainstream Morman Church. Although the descriptions of abuse it contains are hard to read, they serve to illustrate how the patriarchal structure of a church that holds itself aloof from outside influence sets up women and children for abuse, denies that there is a problem, and then forgives and protects the abusers. The points raised are as valid today as they were in 1994. -CPP
Sins of the Temple by Lisa Davis
Editor’s note: To protect the privacy of sexual abuse victims, some people in this report have
been identified by first name only. Those first names are pseudonyms. All other names used in this
report are real.