Canada, U.S. to probe forced-marriage allegations

By Allan Dowd Reuters

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - U.S. and Canadian prosecutors vowed on Thursday to co-operate in pursuing allegations of sexual exploitation by a polygamist group that has settlements in both countries. Utah attorney general Mark Shurtleff met with officials in British Columbia, who are under pressure to join the United States in a crackdown on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). Men in the FLDS need three wives to enter highest realm of heaven, according to the group's teachings. Polygamy is illegal in both countries but still practiced by religious sects that broke away from the Mormon church, such as the FLDS, which is believed to have about 10,000 members in Utah, Arizona, Texas and British Columbia. Shurtleff said the crackdown is aimed less at the practice of plural marriage, which polygamists say is a religious right, than against allegations about the treatment of women, including forcing young girls to marry older men. "By co-operating and working together we can resolve some of these problems and protect women and children who have been victimized," Shurtleff said after meeting with Wally Oppal, British Columbia's attorney general. Canadian prosecutors have refused to file criminal charges against polygamists in British Columbia out of fear the cases would be dismissed on constitutional grounds, but Oppal said he may follow the U.S. lead of using civil litigation. Oppal said he will also look at helping U.S. prosecutors in seizing property in Canada controlled by FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, who went into hiding after he was indicted in June by Arizona prosecutors on charges including sexual misconduct with a minor. Investigators say Jeffs may have fled to an FLDS enclave in Bountiful, British Columbia, located on the border with Idaho, northeast of Spokane, Washington. Winston Blackmore, whose family helped found Bountiful in 1947, observed the attorneys general's news conference along with two women from the community, and later disputed the abuse allegations. "There is no sense in children being abused," said Blackmore, who was ousted from the FLDS by Jeffs three years ago but leads another polygamist community in the area. Prosecutors said they had difficulty pursing abuse allegations because the group is secretive and women who may have been abused have been taught from an early age that outsiders should not be trusted. Mary Batchelor, of the Utah-based group Principle Voices, said Canada can learn more on how to protect women who want to report abuse, but fear they cannot support themselves if they leave or are forced out of polygamist communities. Some groups that monitor the FLDS say it has attempted to hide abuse activities by trafficking women between its Canadian and U.S. settlements.

today.reuters.com Originally published December 8, 2005

Back

For more information email: