Mormon Director Charged With More Than 50 Counts of Child Sexual Assault

A Mormon Australian film director was charged with more than 50 counts of sexual assault for his alleged conduct with 15 boys, according to reports.  

Scott, who directed films Spirit of the Game and The Playbook, allegedly molested the children when he coached soccer in Australia during the 1990s, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The abuse occurred while Scott was a high-ranking member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Reports of child abuse within the group are not uncommon.  

Late last month, attorneys subpoenaed LDS President Thomas S. Monson about the church’s sordid history with abuse, particularly about Navajo children in the church’s Indian Student Placement Program.  

“What President Monson knew or didn’t know about this and child sexual abuse within this program in general, is relevant. If President Monson claims no knowledge, that too is relevant to what the church knew or should have known about Lee and his ability to lead this program within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation and protect Indian Placement Program’s children from sexual harm,” victims’ attorney Craig Vernon said. 

In April, the LDS church donated $125,000 to child abuse resources.  

To prevent further abuse, the church will: 

Cover the cost of professional counseling for abuse victims.
Bishops are asked to interview youth leaders at least twice a year, the site says. For any youth activity, the church said it requires two adults to be present.
The site states the church will continue to identify and implement new tactics or approaches that decrease the potential for abuse.
When it comes to those claims and lawsuits of abuse, and accusing the church of not handling abuse correctly, the site did say, “the great majority of these claims occurred decades ago, when society and the church understood far less about abuse.”