Retouched portrait of Mormon Bishop Ira Eldredge with his three wives (Nancy, Hannah, and Helvig), (c. 1864)
Public Domain as published before January 1, 1928
An offshoot of the infamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) is carrying on the heinous practices of Warren Jeffs, though Jeffs has now been incarcerated for over a decade [1].
Samuel Bateman, 47 y.o., the leader of this polygamous Mormon sect, claims to be Warren’s legitimate successor and a “prophet” in his own right [2A].
Bateman is alleged to have taken 20 or more wives, some as young as 8 or 9 y.o. He is said to have traveled through Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and Nebraska in order to have sex with underage girls. As a result, Bateman is facing state and federal charges which include kidnapping and child abuse.
A total of eleven members of Bateman’s splinter group have now been charged with transporting children across state lines for purposes of sexual activity, recording that activity, destroying evidence, and witness tampering.
Mormon Polygamy Historically
Though it is today prohibited by the mainstream LDS, polygamy was among the original teachings of Mormonism, and practiced till 1890 [2B][3]. Doctrinally, polygamy was actually viewed by Mormons as being essential to Salvation, and more significant than baptism.
Downsides of Polygamy for Women
Polygamy — most recently pitched to the public under the seductive guise of polyamory — necessarily creates tensions and inequities, whether practiced by Mormons, Muslims, or others [4]. Women in such an arrangement do not have equal rights with their male partner.
Some “wives” will be favored over or replaced by others, causing harmful friction not only among these women, but their children. Emotional abuse, depression, severe financial restrictions (even outright destitution), and ultimate abandonment are not uncommon [5A].
Polygamous relationships are, also, prone to domestic violence and/or sexual abuse, not to mention the negative impact they have on children [5B].
ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse 