Magistrate says Jehovah's Witnesses are complicit because they failed to report to authorities

by jw news 2017 17 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  jw news 2017

  From

  http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-law-basics/what-is-complicity-or-accomplice-liability.html

  "Complicity is the act of helping or encouraging another individual to commit a crime. It is also commonly referred to as aiding and abetting. One who is complicit is said to be an accomplice. But, even though an accomplice does not actually commit the crime, his or her actions helped someone in the commission of the crime.

  The concept of accomplice liability means an accomplice faces the same degree of guilt and punishment as the individual who committed the crime. Indeed, accomplices can face the same penalties, including prison time. The key consideration is whether the individual intentionally and voluntarily encouraged or assisted in the commission of the crime, or (in some cases) failed to prevent it"

  It is widely accepted that pedophiles are always at high risk of reoffending... Therefore failing to report, is failing to prevent it

  And you did say that they should have reported, in your first post
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  John Davis

  I am not debating whether they were complicit or not just the original links in ur original post the word complicit doesn't appear. It does appear in the ABC link u provided but not in the original it uses the exhasurbated.
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  sparrowdown

  John Davis - do you know a guy known as "Richard Oliver" by any chance because you remind of him?
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  doubtfull1799

  I regret to inform you that I am one of those elders you claim should be liable to prosecution, and I certainly wouldn't blame the victim if she decide to sue the elders involved, though she will not do so which I will explain further on. Yes I was one of the elders on the judicial case mentioned in the article posted by the OP that has now been brought to trial. I testified and gave statements in this case.

  I realise admitting this opens me to a lot of criticism, and I am am willing to cop it, but just some background info to add some perspective. With the full benefit of hindsight I deeply regret my participation in that case and the fact that I followed orders and did not do enough to speak up for the victim and help her get the professional assistance she needs at the time. It is important to emphasise, though, that is my feeling alone - the other two elders on the case still believe they did the right thing and did all they could, AS DOES THE VICTIM. I personally spoke to the victim just before the trial and apologised to her, but she made it quite clear she holds no ill will towards me or the committee, only the perpetrator. (She is still a faithful believer, a full committed JW who as far as I can tell hold no animosity towards the Society either)

  I was a young elder at the time - in fact it was one of my first judicial cases just a few years after being appointed . I had no training to handle such a case and deferred mostly to the two much more experienced elders on the committee, and of course followed all instruction we received from Bethel. I was quite clear about this in my statements to the police as well. While the other elders colluded on their story (I know this because they tried to tried to collude with me before the trial as well, wanting to make sure I was going to sau the same thing as them!) I was quote honest in my testimony about how I felt we had not supported the victim sufficiently and how in hindsight I regretted that we did not report it to the police. How I could clearly see the necessity of it now, but at the time I was deluded by my indoctrination into thinking it was more important to protect the "honour" of the congregation. In fact looking back I'm sad to say I think we spent more time hashing the case out with the Better service rep, dotting the I's and tossing the T's, than we did actually talking to, listening to, and helping the victim...
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  Rainbow_Troll

  I in no way condone what this man did (what a creep!) but I've got to say that the long term psychological damage these girls suffered seems way out of proportion to what they endured. Being groped and fondled for a few minutes just seems so trivial to me; revolting and skin-crawling yes, but not exactly traumatizing! I was groped and fondled almost every day while on the school bus, but compared to what I had to worry about when I actually got to school, it was nothing.

  I guess this testifies to how messed up my own childhood really was.
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  steve2

  Uh-oh. Is John Davis the new Richard Oliver?
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  problemaddict 2

  Doubtful.....WOW!

  Thank you for sharing that. I think we have all done things we now look back at and are ashamed of. I am glad you were honest with the authorities.

  May I ask, that honesty and admittance that you felt not all that could have been done.....was done, has that affected your relationship with those elders? Are you openly out?
  
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  John Davis

  Steve2 I know that you are using that as a derogatory statement towards me. But show me in the original links of this post where the word complicit appears. It doesn't appear. I said that it does appear in the ABC link but not in the original link. So many people argue that word choice is so important and will nit pick over every word in an article that Watchtower puts out but if I say what I said then oh well word selection doesn't matter only the intent of what is being said.