Victoria, Australia: Steven Unthank's Press Release: JW's Hierarchy Formally Charged Today With Child Abuse

by AndersonsInfo 243 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

  • The Quiet One
    The Quiet One

    (sorry for the double post) Curtains- What about a baptized minor, who is required to take part in field service, who has unbelieving parents? That child feels that he has to 'obey Jehovah' and go on the ministry, but his parents can't join him, literally! Nobody will object if an appointed man works with him. Just think about it.

  • Gayle
    Gayle

    http://www.oktravel.com.au/statistics/religion/jehovahs-witnesses/

    Found this showing JWs there are .29% of population in Victoria state. That would be apprx. 16,000 JWs., and apprx. 200 congs. U.S. congs. average 7 elders & 5 m.s. I don't know what avg is for Australia congs. but would involve a lot ones in positions.
  • Gary Botting
    Gary Botting

    Steven's "Who?"'s hilarious "press release" reminds me of a similar such release circulated to all Branch offices in the world in 1984, demanding the resignation of the Governing Body and naming a "shadow" Body headed up by Michael Jackson, Jim Penton, the May Brothers from Ireland, Raymond Franz and myself. Dead give-aways: The $144,000 fines, the overall breadth of the claim, internationally, and the fact that the Latrobe Magistrate's Court in Gippsland, Victoria, does not have a sitting on September 13. Also the Magistrate's Court does not have jurisdiction or standing to bring forward such a claim. That would be orginated by the prosecutor. in the case of prosecution on the crimnal side - which this isn't - or by private parties such as Mr. "Unthank" (were he actually to exist) on the civil side ("small claims") - which this also obviously isn't. Nice try, Steve, but no cigar!

  • steve2
    steve2

    Mr Monroe said:

    giving evidence in court requires evidence of an offence, not a general statement of opinion or the stories of sexual abuse in distant congregations a decade ago.

    Not so in this case. Under the present 'charges', all that is required is evidence of noncompliance with the law. That's it. You seem to be talking about something else altogether (e.g., allegations of abuse).

    THis case is comparable to legislation requiring vehicles to have 'warrants of fitness'. If you fail to get a warrant for your vehicle when it is due, you cannot argue, "But there is nothing wrong with my car". Fact is you've failed to comply with the law - regardless of the state your vehicle is in. Same with the state requirement for all adults working with children to have police checks.

    The argument will revole around who successfully defines - and delimits - what 'working with children' entails, not what evidence there is about child abuse. Lawyers on both sides will have a field day if this ever gets off the ground. As they say, the big winners are often the lawyers. I could speculate that Watchtower lawyers will argue that if JWs work with children entailed adults running Sunday Schools, they would happily undergo police checks. but as parents are the prime caregivers of their children during service, the legislation does not apply to them.

    Here's hoping this gathers enough legislative willpower to actually get off the ground.

  • sabastious
    sabastious
    Steven's "Who?"'s hilarious "press release" reminds me of a similar such release circulated to all Branch offices in the world in 1984, demanding the resignation of the Governing Body and naming a "shadow" Body headed up by Michael Jackson, Jim Penton, the May Brothers from Ireland, Raymond Franz and myself. Dead give-aways: The $144,000 fines, the overall breadth of the claim, internationally, and the fact that the Latrobe Magistrate's Court in Gippsland, Victoria, does not have a sitting on September 13. Also the Magistrate's Court does not have jurisdiction or standing to bring forward such a claim. That would be orginated by the prosecutor. in the case of prosecution on the crimnal side - which this isn't - or by private parties such as Mr. "Unthank" (were he actually to exist) on the civil side ("small claims") - which this also obviously isn't. Nice try, Steve, but no cigar!

    It's not just Steven Unthank's case anymore it's the Australian Province of Victoria that has approved Unthank's 604 page report and are starting their crimal prosecution process. Hold on to your panties it may be a rough ride.

    -Sab

  • JW GoneBad
    JW GoneBad

    What does the WTBTS have to worry about or hide? The Bible basically gives us a back ground check on the life of Jesus so detailed to even include his blood line.

    Logic dictates that Jehovah will indeed manuever matters so that the GB has no choice but to comply.

    The winners are the children!

    Message To WT Lawyers:............ Do it for the children! Do it for your children!

  • llbh
    llbh

    As Steve said this is no longer about SU it is about willing non compliance with legislation for the protection of minors, and the state is looking at prosecuting the WTS for such non compliance, end of; Mr Uthank is no longer involved. JW's have children present at meetings, that would be enough to seek such compliance, though oddly enough in The UK I am not aware the UK government asks for crb checks with the WTS

    David

  • MrMonroe
    MrMonroe

    Steve2: Sorry if I was ambiguous. I completely agree that allegations of past sex abuse are irrelevant. I was replying to an earlier statement about TV docos.

    The case is a charge that those organisations failed to gain WWC checks when they were required by law to do so. Proving the case means providing evidence that adults normally, or commonly, work with children unsupervised. That, to me, appears to be the difficulty when the defendants will probably deny everything.

    Gary Botting I think you're an idiot. See the Latrobe Magistrates Court criminal list for September 13 here.

    Transcripts of the judicial inquiry into Protecting Victoria's Vulnerable Children, at which the fictional Steven "Who" apparently gave evidence a couple of months ago at Morwell, are also available online.

  • St George of England
    St George of England

    (Matthew 5:40-41) 40 And if a person wants to go to court with you and get possession of your inner garment, let your outer garment also go to him; 41 and if someone under authority impresses you into service for a mile, go with him two miles.

    As the authorities have asked the WTS to comply they should do so on the above scriptual grounds as it does not conflict with God's law.

    George

  • bluesapphire
    bluesapphire

    Exactly! Basically, instead of using Theocratic War Strategy, they should follow the Scriptures they claim and go the extra mile!!! That's where the saying comes from.

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