We did not knew it was a crime...

by Nowhere 18 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

• 

  Nowhere

  I don't know what they are trying to say by this, but here is from jw-media.org:

  "Dr. Bethea­Jackson:

  I don't think, 18 or 20 years ago, we knew much of anything about
  pedophiles. It wasn't really looked at as a criminal matter. We didn't
  publicize it as being an act that needed some criminal intervention, so to
  speak. We didn't look at it ... or it wasn't ... people didn't have the body
  of knowledge 18 or 20 years ago to say that this is something that will
  harm your child emotionally, if you don't address it. Parents didn't know
  the seriousness, 18 or 20 years ago, and the long­term effects..."

  Aha... but?... couldn't God tell his oranization that raping children is not a good thing to do? Even if Satan's world didn't knew that?
• 

  Grout

  Remarkable how often the people who claim to be out ahead of the world are actually trailing behind. Ain't it?
• 

  ItsJustlittleoldme

  Aha... but?... couldn't God tell his oranization that raping children is not a good thing to do? Even if Satan's world didn't knew that?

  Nope, not according to the watchtower

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=29756&site=3

  All this illustrates the fact that, though Jehovah purposes perfection for his organization, he does not try to correct all things at once. As they could endure it and as they needed it, as their hearts softened in response to his love, Jehovah brought them closer to him in his gentle, loving way

  I guess their hearts hadn't softened enough 25-30 years ago.. I guess they finally progressed enough for Jehovah to reveil to them that child abuse is to be abhored.. Whew! I'm glad the JW's have matured enough to handle that new light... I wonder how long it will be before Jehovah reveils to them that salvation comes from faith, not works? (I'll bet that will be a long time in coming -- to bad their heart conditions don't warrant that yet!)
• 

  ChristianObserver

  Hello :o)

  "Dr. Bethea­Jackson:

  Is this lady actually a Doctor? Has anyone found proof of her qualifications?

  "I don't think, 18 or 20 years ago, we knew much of anything about pedophiles."

  Who is the *we* to whom she is referring?

  "It wasn't really looked at as a criminal matter. We didn't publicize it as being an act that needed some criminal intervention, so to speak."

  Again, who is the *we* to whom she is referring?

  "We didn't look at it ... or it wasn't ... people didn't have the body of knowledge 18 or 20 years ago to say that this is something that will harm your child emotionally, if you don't address it."

  Why did the *we* or the anonymous *people* mentioned above need a *body of knowledge* to tell them that this was something that would harm their child emotionally, whether it was addressed or not? And what about the harming of the children *physically*?

  "Parents didn't know the seriousness, 18 or 20 years ago, and the long­term effects..."

  Again - who are these anonymous *parents* who did not know the *seriousness* or *the longterm effects*?

  As this is a WTBTS promotional video, should those members of the general public who were perfectly well aware of the seriousness of such crimes 18 - 20 years ago, conclude that Ms Bethea Jackson is suggesting that the *we*, the *people*, and the *parents* who were blissfully unaware of the devastating and long term effects on victims of child abuse were members of the organisation? The video clip does not do the WTBTS any favours imo.

  I am certain that if Ms Bethea Jackson would care to speak to some of the posters here, those who were victims 18 - 20 years ago could tell her exactly how they regarded child abuse - they already had their own *body of knowledge*.

  It is a pity that these victims were prevented by an organisation from contributing to the wider *public* *body of knowledge*. The WTBTS is, therefore, guilty in the same way as is the Roman Catholic Church and other organisations of suppressing information, repressing victims, whilst expressing themselves above reproach. And that brings reproach upon the name of God imo!

  *Innocence once lost can never be regained*
• 

  dungbeetle

  Lady Lee put up some references that absolutely puts the lie to this person's words.

  Lady Lee, where are you?
• 

  Lady Lee

  Just a minute Dungbeetle. I will find the post with the list on it
• 

  Lady Lee

  This is the list I posted previously

  I posted this list in the other thread on this topic. The lady says there was no body of knowledge from 18 - 20 years ago. The following is a list of books that I OWN. There are a lot more of these in libraries all over North America. Add to this list all the articles in professional magazines. That she can sit there and say she went to school and never heard of this makes me sick. No wonder social workers have a bad name

  -------
  Watchtower Spin Doctors!
  Dr. Gail Bethea-Jackson tells us that we didn't know what child abuse was 18-20 years ago.
  -------

  Abusing Family Justice, B. & Justice, R. 1976 NY: Human Science Press Family violence academic

  Battered Wives Martin, D. 1976 NY: Bantam battering - academic -

  Dark Side of Families: Current Family Violence Research. Finkelhor, D., Gelles. R.J., Hotaling G.T. & Straus, M.A. (Ed.) 1983 NY: Sage
  A Child is Being Beaten: Violence Against Children Chase, N.F. 1976 NY: McGraw-Hill

  Child Abuse is Scary Parent's Anonymous 1977 Torrance, CA: Parent's Anonymous

  Child Abuse: The Developing Child Kempe, R.S. & Kempe, C.H. 1978 Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press Child/abuse - academic -

  Child Sexual Abuse: New Theory and Theory Finkelhor, D. 1984 NY: Free Press Child/Sexual/abuse - research -

  Common Secret: Sexual Abuse of Children and Adolescents Kempe, R.S. & Kempe, C.H. 1984 NY: W.H. Freeman and Co. Child Sexual abuse - academic - research -

  Conspiracy of Silence: The Trauma of Incest Butler, S. 1978 San Francisco: New Glide Child Sexual abuse - academic -

  Cry in the Night Clark, M. H. 1982 NY: Simon & Schuster

  Curriculum on Child Abuse and neglect National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect 1979 Washington, D.C: U.S. Department of Health Education and Welfare Child abuse

  Daddy's Girl: A Very Personal Memoir Allen, C.V. 1980 Toronto: Seal incest - autobiography -

  Father-Daughter Incest. Herman, J.L. 1981 Harvard University Press

  Frances Ann Speaks Out:My Father Raped Me Chetin, H. 1977 NY: New Seed Press incest - biography

  I Never Told Anyone: Writings by Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Bass, E. & Thornton, L. 1983 NY: Harper & Row biography - incest

  Incest and Human Love Stein, R. 1973 Dallas: Spring Publications incest academic

  Incest: A Psychological Study of Causes and Effects ... Meiselman, K.C. 1979 San Francisco: Jossey-Bass incest - Treatment - Child Sexual abuse

  Kiss Daddy Goodnight:A Speak-out on Incest Armstrong, L. 1978 NY: Pocket incest - adults - survivors -

  Outgrowing the Pain: For and About Adults Abused as Children. Gil, E. 1983 Walnut Creek, CA: Launch Press

  Sexual Victimization of Children. de Young. M. 1982 Jefferson, NC: McFarland

  Sexually Abused Children and their Families Mrazek, P.B. & Kempe, C.H. 1981 Oxford: Pergamon theory

  Sexually Victimized Children Finkelhor, D. 1979 NY: Free Press Child Sexual abuse - research

  Silent Scream Janssen, M. 1983 Philadelphia, PA: Fortress biography - poetry - incest

  Silent Sin: Case History of Incest Woodbury, J. & Schwartz, E. 1971 NY: New American incest - biography

  Voices in the Night: Women Speaking About Incest McNaron, T.A.H. & Morgan, Y. (Eds.) 1982 Pittsburg, PA: Cleis Press incest - survivors - biography

  Who Speaks for the Children? Silverman, P. 1978 Don Mills, ON: Musson Book Co. Child abuse

  This list is just the books. For every book consider that there are probably 100 articles in academic journals. Besides why would any sane person think this is NOT harmful
• 

  Lady Lee

  Now add the WT information from their own magazines

  June 22, 1982 Awake page 10, Rape at Home

  Incest is probably the most selfish and reprehensible kind of child abuse. It is a grotesque violation of the child's trust and dependency. It is the child's closest protector that is turning on it. And the child is a damaged victim. I have never knowingly talked to a happy, well-adjusted, unconcerned incest victim, said Dr. Suzanne Sgroi, former chairman of the Sexual Trauma Treatment Program.

  [p]Dr. Judianne Densen-Gerber, director of Odyssey Institute in New York city, says: In my own practice I have the hardest time imaginable treating these children who suffer from incest, even more than the kids who are battered, abused, set on fire, and whipped because at least those children dont confuse whats being done to them with love. The parent who sexually uses a child while telling him, I love you, is raising a child who will be afraid to establish rapport, trust, and engagement with anyone else in his life, even with the therapist, because unlike the beaten child, he doesnt seek affection, he fears affection and becomes extremely isolated.

  An excerpt from nineteen (19) years ago:

  October 1, 1983 Watchtower page 27, Help for the Victims of Incest
  

  Incestuous child abuse is sexual abuse of children by an older relative. Usually, it is by a male relativesuch as a father, stepfather, uncle or older brother. Sometimes, but much more rarely, it is by a female relative. According to the book The Silent Children, incestuous abuse can range from improper fondling to oral-genital contact to intercourse. Of course, affectionate physical contact between children and older people is proper. But when the older person finds these contacts arousing, or when he does things alone with the child that he would not do if the childs mother were present, this will likely lead to sexual abuse of the child.

  FOR most of her life Rachel has been ridden with guilt, convinced of her own worthlessness, and trapped in a sense of hopeless isolation. What could so blemish the life of a British housewife and mother

  A 16-year-old girl from California said: I now have a pain deep in my heart that will never go away, and it hurts, truly hurts.

  An excerpt from seventeen (17) years ago

  January 22, 1985 Awake pages 3-4, Child Molesting-Every Mother's Nightmare--A Widespread Problem

  The fact is, sexual molestation of children has been going on for a long time and today it is widespread. In 1983, the head of New York Citys Advisory Task Force on Rape reported a dramatic increase in the number of young children who are victims of rape, incest, and other forms of sexual abuse. Dr. David Finkelhor of the Family Violence Research Program at the University of New Hampshire conducted a large-scale study of the subject. He found that the children of 9 percent of the parents interviewed had been sexually abused. Fifteen percent of the women and 6 percent of the men had themselves been sexually abused as children!

  Exact statistics are difficult to come by. In the United States, the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect has records of 55,399 cases of children being sexually molested in one year. But these are only cases of incestuous abuse. Abuse by friends, neighbors, teachers, and so forth as well as by strangers would increase that figure to a considerable extent. And a spokesman for the Child Welfare League of America told Awake! that the figures we have are only the tip of the iceberg.

  [p]A report in the magazine Ladies Home Journal estimates: Sexual abuse of young girls is four times more common than rape of adult women. Between the ages of five and 13, one in four little girls falls prey to some form of sexual abuse by adults whether it be exhibitionism, inappropriate fondling, rape, or incest. Although young females are the most common victims, 20 to 25 percent of those attacked are little boys.

  [p]Doctors are convinced of the harmful and long-term effects of such abuse. Hence, parents wonder: Are my children at risk What steps can I take to protect them What sort of person would try to harm them
• 

  Lady Lee

  another quote

  *** g81 2/8 18 Incest-The Hidden Crime ***
  One incest victim recommended teaching children at an early age that certain parts of their bodies are not for others to play with. This can be done in a loving way, perhaps using the story of Dinah, in the publication My Book of Bible Stories. Then, if anything resembling molestation should occur, the child can immediately tell mother or father. Remember, sexual molestation does not have to be intercourse. Fondling, "touching," unwarranted intimacy or any sexual playing can cause great damage in later life.

  plus you can check these threads for more info

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=28418&site=3&page=1

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=28626&site=3
• 

  Pierced Angel

  How dare they even try to use such a lame excuse.

  I just keep feeling more and more embarrassed to have believed in it at all.