A former Utah therapist and Mormon bishop has pleaded guilty to the sexual abuse of two male clients during sessions marketed as "conversion therapy" to "cure" them of their homosexuality. The ex-therapist, 66-year-old Scott Dale Owen, admitted to exploiting his position of authority to perpetrate the abuse under the guise of therapeutic intervention.
Owen, once the proprietor of Canyon Counseling in Provo, Utah, had established a reputation within the Mormon community as a specialist in "conversion therapy," a controversial practice aimed at changing an individual's sexual orientation. His sessions allegedly included forms of "intimacy therapy" which he claimed would prepare his clients for heterosexual relationships.
Allegations and Legal Proceedings
The legal actions against Owen are based on his guilty plea to charges of first-degree felony forcible sodomy. He confessed to engaging in sexual acts with his male clients, misleading them to believe that such interactions were an integral part of their treatment. The plea also includes a "no contest" stance on a separate charge involving the abuse of a 13-year-old girl. Owen's sentencing is scheduled for March 31, where he could face a life sentence in prison.
In 2018, Owen relinquished his therapy license after multiple patients reported inappropriate contact to the state licensing board. Despite the gravity of the allegations, Utah's laws did not mandate reporting these to law enforcement, resulting in a lack of immediate police action.
Community Impact and Investigation
Owen continued practicing until 2023, when investigative reporting by local media outlets brought the allegations to light, prompting police to reopen his case. The investigation revealed that Owen's abusive practices were known among certain leaders of the Latter Day Saints (LDS) church since at least 2016. However, there is no clear indication that this information was shared with law enforcement at the time.
Victims described Owen's sessions as increasingly physical, with one man recounting how Owen assured him that physical contact was "necessary" for his treatment success. Owen's approach included acts such as kissing, inappropriate touching, and other forms of sexual contact. One victim reported Owen saying trust in him was essential for their "cure," and that their actions were in line with religious standards, promising a closer connection to God.
Responses and Reactions
The LDS church has stated its commitment to taking sexual misconduct seriously. In 2019, church records were updated to warn bishops about Owen's actions, which were deemed harmful to both individuals and the church community. However, this internal acknowledgment did not translate into immediate external action.
Interviews conducted by the Provo police, cited in court records, documented testimonies from at least a dozen former patients, all of whom recounted experiences of inappropriate conduct during their therapy sessions with Owen. Many of these individuals sought therapy specifically for "same-sex attraction," making them vulnerable to Owen's manipulative practices.
Owen's case has sparked outrage and concern within the local and broader LGBTQ+ communities, highlighting ongoing issues with conversion therapy practices and the systemic failures that allowed such abuse to continue unchecked.
As the legal proceedings against Owen continue, there is hope that his conviction will lead to greater scrutiny and eventual prohibition of conversion therapy practices, which have been widely discredited by mental health professionals as harmful and ineffective.
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