Abuse; congregational reactions in Norway

by TheOldHippie 19 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

• 

  TheOldHippie

  The Swedish program was televised in Norway on Monday, and yesterday the congregations received a letter from the branch, responding to some of the accusations of the program. Let that be as it is, but the letter also pointed to how the elders of Norway would react to child abuse, and the reactions here do not deviate much from what you would like them to be:

  1. If a child claims it has been abused by a member of the congregation (or someone else) and tells it to her parents (and they choose not to tell it to the elders from the start), it is their privilege to report it to the police, that is entirely up to them if they choose to do so or not.

  2. If they tell it to one of the elders, that elder - or the group of elders - HAS to report it to the police, it is mandatory. Norwegian law says that anyone hearing about child abuse, is required to report it to the police without hesitation, and this law has to be followed by the elders as well.

  3. The elders independantly of the police investigations will talk to the abuser and the victim separately. If the abuser denies, and there is only the one victim as witness, and this was a "one-victim" abuse and there are no other victims having pointed to this same abuser earlier, then there is so far nothing the congregation can do.

  BUT:

  4. If the abuser is found guilty by the court, despite his denial to the elders and despite there only being one "witness" - the victim - he will be df'ed by the congregation.

  AND:

  5. If the abuser is freed by the court because of lack of evidence or for similar reasons, the alleged abuser will nevertheless be stripped of his privileges in the congregation (removed as elder, congregational servant, pioneer or whatever).

  Now that ain't so bad, is it?
• 

  BluesBrother

  4. If the abuser is found guilty by the court, despite his denial to the elders and despite there only being one "witness" - the victim - he will be df'ed by the congregation.

  To me , that is a big departure from past policies. They are acknowledging that a court of the "Old World" has superior investigative powers, and priority over their own system.

  Certainly a step further towards protecting the victim as a priority, or do they not want their name associated with him any more?

  Lets hope the court always gets it right!
• 

  avishai

  5. If the abuser is freed by the court because of lack of evidence or for similar reasons, the alleged abuser will nevertheless be stripped of his privileges in the congregation (removed as elder, congregational servant, pioneer or whatever).

  You know, it's funny. Not having "priveleges" in the cong. just relegates them to the position women have had, i.e, no elder status etc. Big deal. They are still STRONGLY encouraged by the JW's to go out in the preaching work. For violent offenders, they can snap & rape in seconds. They should also never be able to go door to door.
• 

  SYN

  *grumble grumble grumble*

  Well, it's a step forward, at least. Still not perfect, though.
• 

  avengers

  Nah. I don't trust it.
  It's just a way to get everyone off their backs.
  When things quiet down they'll just go back to the way they were.

  How can you trust an Organization that has been in bed with the wild beast?

  my 2 cnts.

  Andy
• 

  blondie

  1. If a child claims it has been abused by a member of the congregation (or someone else) and tells it to her parents (and they choose not to tell it to the elders from the start), it is their privilege to report it to the police, that is entirely up to them if they choose to do so or not.

  2. If they tell it to one of the elders, that elder - or the group of elders - HAS to report it to the police, it is mandatory. Norwegian law says that anyone hearing about child abuse, is required to report it to the police without hesitation, and this law has to be followed by the elders as well.

  Based on those 2 statements, are they saying that "hearing" is only when the parents/victim have come directly to them and report it or if the elders hear of it through other means?

  If the abuser is found guilty by the court, despite his denial to the elders and despite there only being one "witness" - the victim - he will be df'ed by the congregation.

  This is merely window dressing, protecting the "good name" of the organization not out of concern for the victims.

  Avishai

  Not having "priveleges" in the cong. just relegates them to the position women have had, i.e, no elder status etc

  Actually, women do have privileges this man will not have, they can still auxiliary and regular pioneer which includes having one's name read from the platform as worthy of it. I don?t think this privilege will be given these people but is one women have in the congregation.

  In the end, the WTS has put the right words in print before, but what will be the actual practice in the congregations?

  Blondie

  Matthew 23:3

  Therefore all the things they tell YOU, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform.
• 

  AnnOMaly

  That's a welcome improvement! However, as Blondie said, what will happen in practice remains to be seen. Also, will those directions be for Norway only? Policies can vary from country-to-country.
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  TheOldHippie

  "Based on those 2 statements, are they saying that "hearing" is only when the parents/victim have come directly to them and report it or if the elders hear of it through other means?"

  If they hear it thru other means as well.

  Please bear in mind that this is translated and that the word-for-word letter is not at hand, but is translated based on quick notes.
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  InquiryMan

  There are quite a few things that differ in Norway from other countries, as far as JWs are concerned. E.g. all references to corporal punishment, e.g. spankings, are non-existent in Watchtower literature in Norwegian. In fact, when this law was implemented, all references to spanking etc. was removed physically in the literature by witnesses who applied small labels in the literature with alternative, less offensive rendering instead. Also, due to privacy laws, the Norw. Bethel is not allowed to keep records on DF issues. This applies also to congregations.
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  cruzanheart

  In the end, the WTS has put the right words in print before, but what will be the actual practice in the congregations?

  I agree with Blondie. Let's see what they DO. I don't care what they SAY.

  Nina