Royal Commission - Clarification of 1,006 unreported abusers

by Listener 7 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

• 

  Listener

  Knowing that many here like to relate information as accurately as possible I just wanted to make a clarification regarding the unreported abusers in the Australian JW religion.

  It is not correct for us to state that there are 1,006 cases of unreported abusers in Australia since 1950.

  This is what the Commission has reported in the opening address

  Those documents include 1,006 case files relating to allegations of child sexual abuse made against members of the Jehovah’s Witness Church in Australia since 1950 – each file for a different alleged perpetrator of child sexual abuse.

  Evidence will be put before the Royal Commission that of the 1,006 alleged perpetrators of child sexual abuse identified by the Jehovah’s Witness Church since 1950, not one was reported by the Church to secular authorities.

  Note that the Commission investigations showed that of the 1,006 alleged abusers that the Australian Branch WTBTS advised them of, none were reported to secular authorities (including police) by the Elders or the Branch.

  There have been cases reported to police but it hasn't been by the organization so would have been by the victim or their parents.

  What this also means is that the organization is relying on the victim or parents to report the abuse when their is mandatory reporting. As they aren't reporting any themselves then they must be actively seeking the co-operation of the parents/victim to report it. In other words, they are actively passing on the responsibility to report (where there is mandatory reporting) to the parents/victim.

  Although we knew this already, thinking about it makes their comments that they don't discourage parents from reporting look stupid when you consider that they actively encourage them to report when there is mandatory reporting. Their reasoning for not encouraging parent/victims to report is because they believe it is their absolute right to make a decision on this matter.
• 

  umbertoecho

  listener.

  What this also means is that the organization is relying on the victim or parents to report the abuse when their is mandatory reporting. As they aren't reporting any themselves then they must be actively seeking the co-operation of the parents/victim to report it. In other words, they are actively passing on the responsibility to report (where there is mandatory reporting) to the parents/victim.

  Don't forget that it is sin to take another to court. This is emphatically impressed upon the R&F. A victim is also told that they may suffer consequences as ...."to bring reproach upon Jehovah's name" Is a very serious sin. It is close to grieving the "holy spirit". This is tantamount to eternal damnation, no resurrection gift vouchers, nothing.

  Watchtower in the Royal Commissions eyes has every red flag for the perpetration of crimes of a sexual nature, due to it's repressive rules. Now, that one is well identified.

  I think I have already corrected someone in my family about the fact that this is about 1,006 individual potential perpetrators of this crime. And these are only the ones that came forward, no doubt with pounding heart ripping fear. The rest of us, just shut up for other reasons such as threats.

  Also the mandatory reporting is about "The authorative body be it ecclesiastic or educational, or other secular" Is about the obligation of that entity to do the reporting. Where religion has ignored it has been in this clergy client seal of secrecy. It is exactly the same in effect as the one that WT employs.

  Also, it is hoped by many........activists, counsellors, human rights advocates, legal and non legal entities........that they be granted the full right to employ the use of legal compulsion and "report" suspected abuse, on pain of breaking the law of the land if they don't

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
• 

  Vidiot

  umbertoecho - "Don't forget that it is sin to take another to court. This is emphatically impressed upon the R&F"...

  ...whilst conveniently failing to mention that "reporting a crime" and "taking another to court" are not the same thing.
• 

  umbertoecho

  Vidiot, Yes, that's true, very true. I have noticed how those elders have avoided the word "crime". It is too dangerous for them to call it that, so they say "sin" "loose conduct" and all the other bullshit catch words and phrases.
• 

  Oubliette

  Accuracy is indeed important.

  It is accurate to say that all of the 1,006 cases of which the Australia Branch and every elder involved knew about, not one was reported to the authorities by any elder or representative of the WTBTS. Not one of over 1,000 over a 50 year period.

  This is a stunning failure.
  
• 

  Vidiot

  umbertoecho - "...I have noticed how those elders have avoided the word 'crime'. It is too dangerous for them to call it that, so they say 'sin', 'loose conduct', and all the other bullshit catch words and phrases."

  I suspect that has a twofold purpose...

  A) ...to try and reframe the matter as a religious issue rather than a civil one, in order to play the "seperation of church and state"/"religious freedom" card, and...

  B) ...hoping that if they say it enough ("repetition for emphasis"?), the Commission will unconsciously begin to do the same, and be more inclined to let the WTS off the hook.
• 

  Oubliette

  A couple of important points to keep in mind, the majority of sexual abusers do not limit themselves to a single victim. Dr. Monica Applewhite acknowledged that in her testimony. Also, it is likely that there are abusers whom the WT Australia Branch is unaware. This means that the 1,006 known abusers represent a much larger number of victims. How many, it is impossible to know.

  Let's extrapolate this to the Worldwide Work, shall we?

  There were 66,484 publishers in Australia last year and 7,867,958 average publishers total (source: 2015 Yearbook).

  A little quick math suggests that there likely has been more than 100,000 abusers in the organization over the last half century. This suggests that there has been many hundreds of victims of their abuse, possibly in the millions!

  Obviously, this mental exercise involves a certain amount of conjecture and speculation, but I don't believe there is any valid reason to believe the problem in Australia is unique or significantly different to any other area or culture. Are Australians more depraved than other people? Nothing suggests this. On the contrary, that the Australian government is leading the way in addressing it suggests the opposite if anything.
  

  Also, I have not made any attempts to adjust for various growth rates of the religion throughout the world over the last 50 years. But I don't think that is important or necessary to understand the point.
  

  What is important is to allow the significance of the known facts to really sink in. Take some time with this and ponder what it really says about this religion, particularly in light of its history of pointing their finger at other religions meanwhile denying their own moral failing. Really consider the magnitude of this problem.
  

  Then, let's review: It's not just a cult, it is one of the worst, most damaging and destructive religious cults in the history of mankind!

  -
  
  
• 

  Driving Force

  One point I would like to add.

  If the non-reporting of a serious crime is in itself a crime, then there are an awful lot of criminal elders withing the organization.