Newspaper reports: Dutch government will initiate inquiry into child abuse within JW community (page 4)

Doubter

I’ve said my piece. We’ll just wait and see how this whole thing turns out.

G’day!

I have a legitimate question. The Reclaimed Voices organization is saying that these reports have come to their attention by the victims. The other point is how I understand it is that under the law in the Netherlands every person and or organization is responsible to report crimes to the police for investigation. Hasn't reclaimed voices put themselves in a position where they are now in violation of the law themselves because they have taken it upon themselves to accept these reports of a crime and holding that information themselves and not reporting it to the police.

Anders Andersen

Doubter shows exactly why JW have poor policies and culture re. the handling of child abuse:

They seem to care more about defending their org than about the victims.
They don't really want to cooperate with any initiative that may improve the handling of abuse cases (if such would be necessary).
They think nothing is the org is ever wrong.
They think something can't be true unless proven in court.
They are quick to deny any moral responsibility for anything that happens within their community.

Doubter continues to act as if an independent inquiry that will show whether or not JW policies were/are adequate, and JW culture was/is healthy, and whether JW did/do protect children and abuse victims adequately is the worst thing ever.

Such an inquiry is not a conviction, nor is it a criminal investigation.

It is an opportunity to improve.

One might liken it to a shepherding visit: even if you think you're spiritual strong and healthy, it can still be beneficial.

But we already told Doubter all that several times. He just doesn't want to hear it.

And when the results from the Dutch inquiry come in, and it shows JW policies and practices are excellent, Doubter will say "told you so" and we'll just be happy that JW children are safe after all, and that the rest of society can learn from JW's excellent example.

And if the results show that JW policies re child abuse were or are not very good, Doubter will deny it and claim persecution, or say that other groups also failed the children (which they did, admitted, and try to correct), or claim that back in the 80s the standards weren't so high (which is rather strange for people whose morals are set by God himself).

Ah well....what can we do. Doubter insists on being here. Apparently he doesn't like JW spiritual food too much anymore?

Doubter

Just a sec, Andy:

My entire time in this thread was scrutinizing the claims of RV, at least, that was the focus of most of my questions:

RV has been accepting claims, mentioned in the paper you linked, showing how barely 2 percent have reported them (I assume to the police).

If we are going to hold jws to the standard of reporting them, RV are to be held to the same standard, especially seeing how they are paying legal counsel who should advise them to do so.

If we are going to define not reporting allegations to police as “covering up” abuse, then it’s logically consistent to say RV is “covering up” false claims if they aren’t immediately letting qualified persons deal with them.

AbusedandPissed

in fact wouldn't by definition RV have a database of suspected criminals that they have not turned over to the police themselves.

Doubter

The question would be legitimate. But the FACT is that RV have not forwarded hardly any of these allegations to police. After about a year of collecting this information, only 6 have filed a report. That’s it? Why? Do they also have the “moral obligation” to see to it that the police investigate these alleged crimes?

There is no legitimate reason why they are stockpiling a database, that potentially houses hundreds of perpetrators (according to their own published data) while not sending them to police.

Sanchy

There is no legitimate reason why they are stockpiling a database, that potentially houses hundreds of perpetrators (according to their own published data) while not sending them to police.

#mindblown

Doubter

Lol RV has no priest-penitent relationship with those who report to them, so my point is that there is no legal reason (membership privacy rights) why they are withholding that information. Not that I’m aware of anyway.

Sanchy

..right, JW "priests" need not worry about protecting children from child abusers by reporting accusations to authorities because, after all, "there is no legal reason" to.

AbusedandPissed

I am in no way saying one is right and the other is wrong or vice versa. Just asking a legitimate question. I know that the RV says that they have spoken with MPs but they are not law enforcement and have no power to investigate a criminal act or prosecute one either.

Clearly they have made a determination to keep matters private if the victim wants it to be kept private and I am no expert in Finnish law but if you say that withholding this information on Watchtower's part is a crime then shouldn't it also be a crime for RV from not going to the police themselves as an organization or individual members in compliance with the law.

Newspaper reports: Dutch government will initiate inquiry into child abuse within JW community

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