from the Free Minds Sexual Abuse guest log:
http://www.exjws.net/sexabuse/abuseguestlog.htm
Back in 89 I started living with my dad. He had become a witness the year before, about a year after he and my mother divorced. Briefly before moving in with him, as a part of our weekend visits with him, he would take us to meetings. He was steadily gaining rank in his congregation, and would have us involved in bible studies and whatnot. There was one or two occasions of him being abusive prior to moving in with him, but being 7 I disregarded the incidents as my father being simply "mad". Moving in was fairly smooth, and life was OK for about two months. Then the abuse began to slowly creep in. I remember my father speaking with one of the brothers in the congregation about how to raise their children. "D." said that the way a child was to be raised was by the belt. My father agreed to my dismay. Over the period of the next year the abuse increased by ten fold. What was the occasional slap or spanking turned into beltings and occasions of being thrown around. By '91 I had begun to grow tiresome of living in this condition, and fantasized living with my mother, who was off doing her own thing. An emotional wreck (suffering an "emotional breakdown"; a way for baby boomers children to stop accepting their responsiblities), my mother ignored my pleas to move out. As time grew on, and me and my siblings did our stupid childish things, the abuse progressed. Between 91 and 96 my father proceeded from plain old child rearing to full on child abuse. Among the many forms of abuse: I've been scalded with hot coffee, had a barrage of books thrown at me (including the hefty duty large print 5 pound bible), filthy socks shoved in my mouth and being hog tied, slammed against walls, dragged around the house by the collar of my shirt, beaten for 6 hours with the belt while sisters in the congregation sat outside the room opposing nothing, countless spoons broken on my backend, pizza pans slammed against my head, among countless other incidents that I could cite. From '91 to '96 I approached the elders of the congregation regarding my fathers abuse. While they seemed attentive to my issues, they did nothing against my father. He was able to dismiss my accusations as mear childhood exaggerations instead of the plain truth. Problem was, even if he did cop to something, when we got home I'd get a beating far worse then what I reported earlier that night. After like 5 times of this happening, I finally became to scared to approach individuals that were unable to assist me with this issue. I would go on to approach the authorities, but my father was slick enough to get by them. Finally I ran away from home when I was 14, going to live with my grandparents, and finally my mom. About two years ago, I discovered that all of the Allstar JW's in my congregation (except for two wonderful dear people) were all abusing their kids, going to the extent of molestation too! As a matter of fact my sister recently revealed to my mother that she was molested by my father when she was a kid. This has yet to have any resolution. I'm not attacking the religion, no wait I am. My problems with the religion in genera; would be far too long, and what I have written here is just the tip of the iceburg. Don't treat JW's like they're the devil (as a kid I've had countless doors slammed in my face). BE nice and courtious. But remember, it's not as squeaky clean as it appears. In fact, it's filthier then shit itself. Abandon religion, but accept the fact there may be a god (just not what churches and whatnot want you to believe). All religion breaks down into respect for others and yourself. It's the whole Karhma thing. Don't let religion dictate life to you. Run on feelings and your gut. Sometimes it's the best way to go.