Okay, this has been approved by Vicki. I am posting it now for any that feel they absolutely have to do something about this tonight.
I would prefer if Hawkaw could do a check on this before but I understand the eagerness on the part of many due to the sheer outrage.
So if you can't wait, send this out as is, along with the link Kenneson has already provided http://www.recorder.ca/cp/national/030929/n0929181A.html (thank you for that) . It will get the media ball rolling.
PRESS RELEASE - For Immediate Release
Canadian abuse victim forced to pay $142,000 to Jehovah's Witnesses
Toronto, Ontario -- A judge's ruling regarding costs in the Vicki Boer trial has been handed down today. Victoria Boer is a former Jehovah's Witness that sued three church elders and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, the religion's governing body, for the injurious manner they handled her claims of abuse that she suffered when she was as young as 11 years old
In her original decision, Her Honour Justice Molloy ruled that the Watch Tower Society was negligent in the manner in which they treated Ms. Boer. She awarded Ms. Boer $5,000 as a result of the Watch Tower?s callous treatment when she brought forward her claims of abuse. Of primary focus in the negligence was the forced confrontation between Ms. Boer and her abuser, in front of 3 elders of the Church. None of these elders have any secular training in dealing with victims of sexual abuse.
In the surprise decision released today on costs, despite her ruling of negligence against the Watch Tower Society, Her Honour Justice Anne Molloy found Ms. Boer liable for all court costs incurred after 2001. In 2001, the Watchtower Society offered Ms. Boer $20,000 to settle this matter out of court. They later made a substantially higher offer to settle in the range of $50,000 but it included a strictly worded gag order.
Vicki Boer commented regarding these offers, "It has never been about money. If it were, I would have taken the offers. It is about a victim?s right to tell their story and to let people know how the Jehovah?s Witnesses treat victims of sexual abuse. The refusal of the offers was also based on the advice of legal counsel."
Ms. Boer further comments on today's decision awarding costs to the Jehovah's Witnesses, "It's sad when the legal system finds an organization guilty of negligence and then punishes the victim. This legalistic decision will now effect my whole family. Physically and emotionally I paid for the abuse, and now they want me to actually pay the Society that helped protect an abuser. Paying them is akin to justifying their sick policy..."
Between the costs incurred by her own lawyer and now the award of costs in favour of the Watch Tower Society, Ms. Boer will owe in excess of $220,000; $140,000 of which is to be paid to the Watch Tower Society for their costs.
The Watch Tower?s in-house legal department, W. Glen How & Associates, is run and operated as part of the Church?s Religious Order. All the lawyers and secretaries that are part of the religious order (Religious Order of Special Full Time Servants and Bethelites) have signed a vow of poverty and volunteer their time. In return they are provided room and board within the church?s headquarters in Georgetown, Ontario just north west of Toronto.
John Saunders, a researcher for W. Glen How & Associates in the early 90's, gave testimony during the trial last October. Ironically during an interview he gave after testifying, he commented, "Even if the Society were to win this case outright, I would hope they would do the right thing and not further injure a victim of childhood abuse by pursuing costs. People don?t donate money to the Witnesses so they can turn around and attack, retaliate and intimidate survivors of childhood sexual abuse inside the court system."
Neither side has released a decision regarding appeals.
