Policy

by The Quiet One 14 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  The Quiet One
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  The Quiet One

  " Of course it is far different if parents have failed to protect their children and a child or children are in danger. And the policy of the Watchtower Society recognizes this difference. That is why a 1988 letter states: "There is a duty to report when one has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that there is abuse or a substantial risk of abuse and parents have failed to protect the child." And a 1992 letter states: "all in the Christian congregation would want to consider their personal and moral responsibility to alert the appropriate authorities in cases where there has been committed or there exists a risk that there might be committed a serious criminal offence of this type..." " http://thirdwitness.com/childabuse/Mandatory.html
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  Phizzy

  I do not have the time at present to dissect the arguments and points on the site, which was the reason my response was curtailed before, I will do so if you like Q.O on this or another thread.

  The reason for my warning JWNers who may not know of Turdwitness was altruistic, I don't like to waste my time reading stuff like that, I already know the WT views and excuses, and frankly they stink, especialy with regard to abuse cases, they stink of a callous lack of love and concern for the vulnerable.

  Other JWNers may have been saved looking at the site, but of course are free to do so. It only takes a little reading on there to see the paucity of the arguments, so maybe I should have doe the opposite, which I will do now:

  JWNers !!!!!! READ TURDWITNESS, so long as you have a strong stomach.
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  jamiebowers

  @jamiebowers: If you were to read everything on the site.. you'd see that elders are required to report even alleged abuse if it's mandatory under the law to do so.. or even if not legally required to in some circumstances. Otherwise the victim can go to the authorities themselves, which is best if they are adults, or elders can accompany children to report to the police if necessary. If you think that all allegations should be reported, whether the victim wants it to be or not, okay. But consider the possibility that..telling elders that they HAVE TO report every allegation of anything that falls under the local laws definition of child abuse...regardless of the circumstances of the case or the wishes of the victim and their families.. Might be unbalanced? http://thirdwitness.com/childabuse/Mandatory.html

  I know the elders are required to report it IF required by law. First of all, why the "if"? Why not do it in all states? Second, there are many reports from elders that say the Watch Tower instructs them to call from pay phones and give as little information as possible. Why is that? And don't give me that "the victims can go to the authorities themselves". There are news reports from all over the world where victims have said that elders discouraged and even threatened them about going to the police. If the Watch Tower didn't have anything to hide, there wouldn't be a question of reporting or not reporting. Even if the victim or family doesn't want it reported, the humble thing to do is to report it anyway. This is what teachers, counselors, etc., are required to do. Child molestation accusations are best put in the hands of experts in law enforcement and social work and not left in the hands of untrained elders under the delusional, deceptive direction of the Watch Tower.
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  soft+gentle

  sounds like thirdwitness is (perhaps unintentionally) emphasizing that the WT does have duty of care. will those letters go against them in the conti case?