I was single a long time. I was in college for most of that time. I had a lot of roommates, friends and acquaintances. What follows is my observations and my theories. Don't get it mixed up with LDS doctrine. 

With that qualifier, I also want to state that I have considered this for decades. My thinking is not recent or undeveloped. I've been mulling this over for a very long time.

I knew young women who were raped and/or molested. I believed then and I believe now that they were victims in every sense.

What troubles me is that many, if not all, had some consensual sexual missteps in their past. Because of these wholly unconnected missteps, at least two problems resulted after they became victims of a sexual crime:

  1. They were reluctant to report the crime against them to anyone.
  2. They feared they would not be believed.
Being on the receiving end of these confidences has had an impact on me. The victims' extreme trauma was evident. I was troubled because I could not help them with this dilemma at all.

I was able to sympathize, although not empathize, with their trauma, having never been a victim of sexual crimes myself. From listening and thinking about what they told me, I understood why they remained quiet. I could not condemn their silence. Given the circumstances they described, I don't think I would have acted any differently.

It seemed to me then, and it seems to me now, that Satan made these young women targets because of their past. Satan exploited their past mistakes.

This is horrifying.

Satan's diabolical tactic of using someone's past against them in such a horrendous manner should make us more sympathetic to victims of this tactic.

“Throughout our lives, whether in times of darkness, challenge, sorrow, or sin, we may feel the Holy Ghost reminding us that we are truly sons and daughters of a caring Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we may hunger for the sacred blessings that only He can provide.”—Elder Robert D. Hales, “Coming to Ourselves: The Sacrament, the Temple, and Sacrifice in Service” Accessed June 9, 2016 from the LDS Media Library.

Continue reading at the original source →