Architecture of Abuse
Architecture of Abuse
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About This Podcast
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Architecture of Abuse explores the widespread issue of child sexual abuse in Utah, with a particular focus on how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has historically responded to reports of abuse within its community. Hosted by Alyssa Grenfell, through the lens of veteran attorney and co-host Tim Kosnoff’s decades-long career representing survivors, and in conversation with clinical therapists, sociologists, historians, journalists, and researchers, some of whom are active LDS members, we examine the cultural, institutional, and historical forces that enable silence and protect abusers.
We aim to equip listeners with a deeper understanding of the scope of this issue, and how abuse can be properly prevented and addressed, while offering support and resources for survivors—including information about legal representation. Rooted in compassion and a call for accountability, this podcast invites listeners—especially members of the LDS Church—to be part of the movement for meaningful change.
⚠️ This podcast contains discussions about child sexual abuse. Please listen with care.
💡 All views expressed are opinions only and do not constitute legal advice.
Hosts | Alyssa Grenfell & Tim Kosnoff
Executive Producers | Lindsay Hansen Park & Eric W. Phillips
Producer | Lizzy Bean
Researcher | Emily Sellers
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Recent Episodes
S1E15 Season One Update
In this update, co-host and attorney Tim Kosnoff reflects on the impact of Architecture of Abuse’s first season. With tens of thousands of downloads and an outpouring of listener responses, the…
Episode 7: Justice
When abuse was enabled or hidden by religious institutions, the idea of justice can take on many forms. In this powerful final episode of Season 1, attorney and co-host Tim Kosnoff and legal scholar…
S1E13 Deep Dive 6: A Survivor's Legal Guide
Attorney Tim Kosnoff breaks down what it means to file a legal claim as a survivor of abuse. With over four decades of experience representing victims within institutions like the LDS Church, Tim…
S1E12 Episode 6: Healing
What does healing look like after childhood sexual abuse, especially within systems that have long minimized, moralized, or silenced it? In this episode, we hear from LCSW Malia Burgess, alongside…
Deep Dive 5: A Guide for Parents
This candid Deep Dive with therapist and Encircle’s Director of Clinical Operations, Malia Burgess, takes us on a three-part journey: into the past that shaped us, the present we must reckon with,…
S1E10 Episode 5: Repression
Episode 5 of Architecture of Abuse discusses how the LDS Church’s teachings around sexuality create a perfect storm for silence and abuse. Hosts Alyssa Grenfell and Tim Kosnoff are joined by sex…
S1E9 Deep Dive 4: Utah's Accident & Design
The influence of the LDS Church in Utah can be traced through its methodical rise throughout history: from desert-settling pioneers to modern-day corporate powzerhouse. Attorney Tim Kosnoff, and…
S1E8 Episode 4: The History
In this exploration of Utah and Church history, co-hosts Alyssa Grenfell and veteran attorney Tim Kosnoff are joined by historian and executive producer Lindsay Hansen Park to trace the LDS Church’s…
S1E7 Deep Dive 3: "Be Ye Therefore Perfect"
Co-host Alyssa Grenfell explores how the LDS Church's obsession with outward righteousness creates a culture that silences victims, enables abuse, and even erodes mental health. From standards for…
S1E6 Episode 3: Update with Dr. Julie Hanks
Co-host Tim Kosnoff reconnects with therapist and author Dr. Julie Hanks, who shares an emotional update: after years of faithful participation she has stepped away from activity in the LDS Church.…
S1E5 Episode 3: The Culture
Co-hosts Alyssa Grenfell and Tim Kosnoff examine how LDS Church culture or the invisible behavioral structures that exist beyond official doctrine, shapes beliefs, silences dissent, and leaves…
S1E4 Deep Dive 2: The Boy Scouts of America
Attorney Tim Kosnoff and host Alyssa Grenfell map the century-long knot between the Boy Scouts of America and the LDS Church where 40 % of all U.S. Boy Scout troops once met under a Mormon steeple.…
S1E3 Episode 2: The Response
Episode 2 of Architecture of Abuse is an analysis of the financial and professional resources the LDS Church utilizes to insulate itself from liability— their legal privilege, institutional wealth,…
S1E2 Deep Dive 1: Church Reporting & Discipline
What happens when abuse, or spiritual sin of any kind, is reported within the private systems of the LDS Church? In our first Deep Dive, co-hosts Tim Kosnoff and Alyssa Grenfell break down the…
S1E1 Episode 1: The Problem
The first episode of Architecture of Abuse invites listeners into a sobering conversation about the institutional systems that allow child sexual abuse to persist within organizations like The Church…
S1 Trailer: Architecture of Abuse
Coming Soon. Architecture of Abuse is a seven-episode podcast examining how structures of power, particularly within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have enabled child sexual abuse,…
Frequently Asked Questions
Architecture of Abuse has published 16 episodes since May 2025, covering topics in Documentary, Society & Culture.
Architecture of Abuse is currently dormant with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 35m.
