Source: WJZZ14

by Brian Mullahy, KUTV - Wed, February 4th 2026 at 7:19 PM

Updated Wed, February 4th 2026 at 7:53 PM

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah Lt.  Governor Deidre Henderson is defending a measure she promoted six years  ago to decriminalize polygamy after an advocate said the move has hurt  people in polygamous communities.

"The hopes were it would feel  safe for people to come out of polygamy so their families wouldn't be  prosecuted," said Tonia Tewell, director of the Holding out HELP—a group  that assists people leaving polygamy. "Our agency instead has seen  that people are coming out because the perpetrators, who were abusing  their people in the first place, seem to be emboldened."

She said  "abuse rates" have climbed among clients of Holding out HELP, and  maintained it's "directly related to the decriminalisation of polygamy."