Jehovah’s Witnesses cover up child sex abuse and oust a victim

By Trey Bundy / July 30, 2015

Debbie McDaniel of McAlester, Okla., was disfellowshipped by her Jehovah’s Witness congregation twice: once in 1987 for porneia, a biblical term for sexual acts deemed immoral, and again 2012 for being a lesbian. Credit: Marsha Erwin for Reveal i

McALESTER, Okla. – In the summer of 2012, the elders in Debbie McDaniel’s congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses expelled her for having a sexual relationship with a woman. They announced her punishment to the congregation and notified the organization’s headquarters in New York. The consequences were clear: She would be shunned by the Witnesses – including her mother, father, sister and brother – and lose her chance at eternal life.

cappytan

This was an EXCELLENT article. Thank you for sharing Barbara.

Doubting Bro

wow - a very well written article. Debbie, your story is a moving one and a sobering one. I don't know how any active JW could read this and not be moved. I'm so glad you're finding happiness and that you had the courage to take the actions you did. And that your daughter is living with you and will grow up free from the WTS.

freemindfade

I just found this article in the news as well and read it, wow! People need to read this stuff. This was a very extensive one showing how awful the organization is.

nmthinker

Amazing article. By far the most damning revelation in that the branch instructed that the elders not try to investigate other cases of possible abuse when they had strong suspicions of a serial abuser. However, years later when Debbie, a disfellowshipped mother made a verbal comment to her child in poor judgement they recommended to call the police!

That is absolutely incredible, my jaw dropped when I read this. I don't know what to say, its truly disgusting!

The elders informed the Watchtower that they suspected Lawrence could have more victims – other children who had visited his home in the 1970s and ’80s – and asked whether they should investigate. The Watchtower wrote back that it would not be “the course of wisdom for the elders to take the initiative to approach these possible victims concerning this matter.”

....

“Marley was having a real hard time wrapping her mind around a gay lifestyle at all,” McDaniel said. “She would come into my bedroom at my apartment in the middle of the night and say, ‘Mom, I need to know. Please tell me.’ ”
In her frustration one night, McDaniel said she sarcastically told Marley: “What, do you want us to do it in front of you?”
McDaniel’s comment reached her family and the elders, who reported it to the Watchtower, according to documents from Marley’s custody hearing in 2012. The Watchtower instructed them to report it to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services as a possible case of child sexual abuse. They did not call police when faced with accusations that Lawrence had molested McDaniel, but they brought in the authorities over this comment.

Cadellin

Thank you so much for posting this, Barbara! This is absolutely staggering. The ploys by WT HQ reveal exactly what their big concern is--protect the corporation at all cost. I hope this gets wide coverage.

EdenOne

Amazing article.

Two points I have found particularly sickening:

a) How sick is that the same elder that abused her, was the one who conducted the JC to disfellowship her for "immorality".

b) While Elders strongly discourage any reports of sexual child abuse within the congregation to the authorities, the Watchtower legal department was prompt to instruct the Elders to report to the authorities a rumor that a DF mother of a Witness child might have made a comment that might have been interpreted as an invitation to sexual misconduct with a minor. How hypocrite!

Eden

konceptual99

I should find it astonishing that a father and mother would choose to side with a serial child abuser, the perpetrator of abuse against their own daughter and with the father being fully aware of the extent of this man's poisonous behaviour, just because their daughter has been disfellowshipped for being gay.

The fact I can consider this to be completely normal for some Witnesses is tragic beyond belief.

Xanthippe

Thank you Barbara. What a very sad story! I'm so glad Debbie has finally found happiness and she has her daughter with her.

respectful_observer

Thanks for sharing. It will be interesting to see if PBS or NPR pick up this Reveal piece, as they did with the first one.

Between this powerful story, and so many others, it seems to provide more than enough content for a true Frontline-style documentary.

Article: Reveal News Organization: JWs Cover-Up of Child Sex Abuse and Oust a Victim

AndersonsInfo