Child Sex Abuse Statistics & Resources

by Amazing 18 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  dungbeetle

  Pathofthorns: Lies lies lies and here is as recent proof as you are going to get:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=25544&site=3

  and I quote:

  "Here and there, the few who may be disgruntled and disasatisfied, who find fault and speak bitterly about the way things are done, are like a 'poisonous root'that can spread and poison others who initially were unaffected. (Hebrews 12: 15)Such ones often want more authority and prominance. They stir up rumors that there is injustice, ethnic prejudice, and the like, in the congregation or on the part of the elders. Their mouth, indeed, can cause a division in the congregation. Should we not turn a deaf ear to their talk and strive to be spiritual people who contirbute to peace and unity in the congregation?

  The appointed elders must be quick to put an end to such an unwholesome influence. Rather than betray a confidence, he covers over a matter. Knowing that an unguarded tongue can cause much harm ...a discerning person is "faithful in spirit". He is loyal to fellow believers and does not divulge confidential matters that might endanger them. What a blessing such integrity keepers are to the congregation.

  So there you have it. If you are molested/raped by a JW, and you go to the authoritees---and if your allegations are true--you have betrayed a confidence, you have endangered fellow believers, you have divulged confidential matters, you have been disloyal to fellow believers.

  How do we know that they are speaking of the silenlambs issue? And also the rape resistance issue no doubt...

  The wording is identical to that wording used when the rape/molestation survivors are disfellowshipped.

  So pathofthorns has a choice here---believe the victims and the Watchtower's most recent PUBLIC IN WRITING instructions to elders..to stop the flow of information QUICKLY---or believe one lousy BOE letter..

  Either the Watchtower is lying or the victims are.

  Some people will never believe the victims. Period.
• 

  dungbeetle

  Instead of editing my post, I will say it here...the most telling part of that post is that the information does not have to be a lie.

  THAT's how I know this is about Silentlambs and the rape resistance and also in addition AJWRB I'm sure.

  THIS IS WAR...
• 

  Moxy

  i think this discussion is getting at the heart of the matter, as i see it. if child abuse is handled poorly in the JW community, (which it apparently is) it is less directly a result of some WT policy or lack thereof as it is a result of JW culture as a whole. when you have a mindset that says that everything inside the group is from god and everything outside the group is from satan, it is inevitable that members of the group will believe that any problems can and should be handled internally. i believe this is more or less what ray franz said on the subject last year when it was initially raised. it doesnt matter what direction is or isnt given to elders or rank-and-file members--they will continue to treat the problem as something to best be handled internally. (pretty much the same way everyone else approached child abuse up until about 20 years ago.) this is a product of a culture that cannot be altered by any means short of dismantling the very fabric of the community, a community that is protected by the charter of human rights. in short, this is the impasse i see any debate of this topic coming to.

  mox
• 

  Pathofthorns

  Expat..

  I agree to disagree. I think we agree the Society carefully can set things into motion to influence their members without directly saying something, or while saying one thing they know their members will percieve it one way and non-members will percieve something entirely different. I do hate this, especially because it is so difficult to prove.

  Dungbeetle,

  While I dislike the Society's wording in the artical you quote, mainly because I know local elders apply it to me for how I have voiced my discontent, the message has nothing to do with regard to cases of molestation or child abuse. I think you are stretching the content beyond reason and any competent elder (okay, so there aren't many of them.. lol) would realize that this would not take precendent over the BOE letter.

  As far as the women being disfellowshipped for not having screamed, I think that was a horribly disgusting policy and I think that deserves alot more publicity than it got.

  The thing is, all these individuals who have posted their stories with Silentlambs are aware they can go to the police. If they feel they have a case against the Society, then by all means lets do it up. There is nothing more I'd like to see than for the Society to be held accountable for absolutely anything, because God knows they have been called to task on next to nothing. I just haven't seen this flood of lawsuits and that is likely because it is just too difficult to prove.

  Path
• 

  Pathofthorns

  Moxy, that is a good post.

  I will have to think about that one for a while.

  Path
• 

  dungbeetle

  >On the other hand, if a parent who has a child who has been molested does not take that child to see a doctor, there is something wrong.<

  What a two-faced backsliding statement to make.

  1) This topic was "Topic: Child Sex Abuse Statistics & Resources" and that's what you found fault with all the da** day and night long.

  Now when faced with that 'more recent evidence' you so slyly demanded, you back up and say "nothing prevents them from going"

  That was not the issue. Are they FREE to go to the authoriteis? NO. He** of a short memory you have there.

  2) Now when faced with that 'more recent evidence' you so slyly demanded, you back up and say >"On the other hand, if a parent who has a child who has been molested does not take that child to see a doctor, there is something wrong."<

  That was not the issue. You're running with your tail between your legs and dribbling urine as you go.

  If you listened to the victims, you wouldn't be in this mess.

  You have the right to believe the Watchtower over the victims---which you did right in your posts, that's if you don't edit them.

  I have the right to take you and anyone else like you to task for it. AND I WILL!!!!

  Have a great evening.

  UADNA-US (Unseen Apostate Directorate of North America-United States)
• 

  Hyghlandyr

  Ok this thread really interests me but it is really messing up. Tomorrow I will have to come back and copy and paste or something...
• 

  Amazing

  Hi Path: I just got on line after a good night sleep. Anyway,

  Victims of abuse rarely go to the authorities whether they are Witnesses or not Witnesses. The reasons why they do not go to the authorities have little to do with the congregation. The reasons have to do with the nature of the crime itself.

  First, the 02-02 BOE letter, which I saw a scanned copy does now state that Jws are not to be discouraged from going to the authorities. It took over a year, and the high visibility of SilentLambs to get even this much.

  Second, the issue is that the Society should be doing more than merely 'not discouraging; victims from going to the authorities, they should be "encouraging" them to do so. Earlier BOE letters that I have scanned state an implied discouragement from going to the authorities ... so it is not just a matter of some 'rough' Elders.

  During the time I was a JW, I saw clear evidence of this policy of keeping out the authorities, including two cases where I had first hand knowledge of the molester. The first case I was pulled aside in a California Congregation and told not to go to the authorities. The second case in Oregon, I threatened to go to the authorities, and the Elders (Elder G in my Exit Series) begger me not to go. I went anyway ... and the war began to get me Disassociated. The Sheriff's Detective did investigate, but told me that he could tell the victims and their parents were coached into silence.

  Over the past year and a half on this forum and H20, posters from all over the USA and other countries have expressed similar experiences where the Elders discouraged victims and parents from going to the authorities ... so in addition to any JW culture to protect the Watchtower's marketing image, there is clear and compelling pressure from the Elders, who are trained by the Society, to discourage them from seeking help of the authorities. Any token BOE letter in February shows that the Watchtower Society has done too little too late.

  [b]As far as society at large, where victims have not openly reported the abuse crimes against them, you are correct.

  The Pedophile threatened the victim, and scared them into silence. Certainly, this would work well within the JW culture combined with Elders engaging in the same discouragement.

  Also, many of the victims coming to the open nowadays is the result of society in general opening up information to them, open encouragement to get help, changing laws to make it easier to prove one's case, reducing the Statute of Limitations to allow victims to go back many years to make claims. The issue is not that society at large has been perfect, for they have not ... but that they are way ahead of the Watchtower religion ... and therefore, this makes the Watchtower Society backwards and primitive by comparison. Thier god is asleep at the wheel.
• 

  waiting

  This point of "discouraging" parents and/or victims from going to the authorities has been brought up many times - and until Bill explained it further - the actual fullness of what "discouraged" means in the context of child abuse reporting - escaped me, and I am a victim and a mother of a victim by a jw.

  Quote: The entire investigative process discourages parents from going to the police. After the child is traumatized by the untrained elder investigation, they then have to go through a judicial hearing in which they face a second tramatization while being brought face to face with the child molester. At this point the child is so messed up, their testimony has been tainted by the process and the actual police if turned to will have a difficult time at best getting to the truth of the matter. I define that as "discouraged." No where in any publication written by wt are parents encouraged to call and report child molestation as a first option. -bill end quote

  My (partial) response: It's an agenda of actions, or lack thereof. Now, in many places, even parents are counseled by therapists & police to not even ask their children specifics of molestation - because even in the words we use, we can "taint" their thinking and replies.

  If a child has to basically "go to court" against their molester - even if it's "only" just in front of God, the elders, their parents, and the molester - the inaccuracy of the questions & answers in that arena could tear a kid apart - and ruin a police & medical investigation. I'm guessing it's been done more than once - as for years, kids weren't to be trusted - again, universal.

  end quote

  . http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=25171&site=3&page=3

  In many areas, even doctors and therapists are *discouraged* from speaking with the victim too much until trained police professionals speak with the child. Ph.D Psychologist E. Loftus has done research into this area of memory, and studies prove that if different "trigger" words are used to ask questions of the same specific event....different words will receive different responses. Minds, memories & thinking are not scientifically known.

  "Discouraged" is a HUGE ARENA of factors - and little has to do with the WT written word. Mentioned is why don't more molest/rape victims go to the police earlier/if ever? Fear, re-victimization by authorities & family, pain, humiliation, going against someone you love & respect (parent abuser) - ALL these things - let alone having to tell the situation to some asshole who might be smirking at you the whole time.....or a group of assholes.

  Our WHOLE GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM - and WTBTS ELDER SYSTEM - has actively discouraged IN MANY WAYS - victims of rape & molestation from coming forward, and slowly, it's being addressed. It's just not worth the pain for many victims. Not that many children or young adults want to be raped in public or tear their families to shreds. Many of these victims have a love/hate relationship going on with their abusers and their families and they quasi-chose to suffer their entire lives in silence & secrecy.

  This is a complex problem of society, religion & government, involving children. Nobody has solved it yet....but it still needs to be addressed, and children hopefully helped. If for no other reason than that the children of the Next Generation won't be raped so often.

  But some will be - history proves it.

  waiting