by Anders Andersen 21 Replies latest watchtower scandals
So today the well-respected and serious newspaper trouw.nl came with child abuse within the JW as their topmost frontpage article.
The articles are well researched and aim primarily at the Dutch JW situation.
Afaik at least on member of this forum assisted the newspaper with the articles.
Other media are picking up as well....
Anders Anderson: So today the well-respected and serious newspaper Trouw came with child abuse within the JW as their topmost frontpage article.
Have you bought your copy yet?...
Governments in the developed world can no longer turn a blind eye to the continuing stream of damning evidence regarding the WTBTS's concealment and protection of thousands of J.W. child-rapists within its Kingdom Halls.
When one government decides to take robust legal action to deal with the org, the other dominoes will rapidly fall.
Paedophile J.W.'s are already in their paradise - thanks to the "faithfully perverted slave" in Warwick.
Thanks Anders...darn, you´re faster than me on this one, just came home from work!
Well, finally the Dutch can read about the ´´apostate lies´´ in their own newspaper now. Hopefully some will wake up. This will be a 3 part series so stay tuned folks!
TRANSLATION HERE (Google Translate)
The victim calls the society with its own legal system a 'paradise for pedophiles'.
The way in which Jehovah's Witnesses deal with sexual abuse in-house rooms has traumatic consequences for victims. Criminals easily escape the abuse, say victims, members and ex-members whom Trouw spoke. This creates an unsafe situation for children.
Jehovah's Witnesses find that their internal justice system is above the 'worldly authorities'. Male elders act as judges. They follow the guidelines of the International Headquarters in the United States, shown by internal documents held by Trouw.
Misuse victim Marianne the Guardian: "Jehovah's Witnesses keep the perpetrators hand over the head. Abuse is solved by the first best farmer who is elder, who has no
sense. "Another victim calls Jehovah's Witnesses a" paradise for
pedophiles. "
If misuse is discovered, it is difficult to convict internally. According to the Jehovah's Witnesses, two witnesses are required. They are almost never abused. For example, if it comes to condemnation, the perpetrator may no longer be out loud in prayer.
Only if the perpetrator does not regret can he be put out of community. Other
members are not informed of any danger because talking about a case
without conviction is perceived as defamation or reproach. On the ground someone can be excluded.
Insufficient protection
The findings of Trouw are in line with a report published by an Australian research commission in November. The conclusion: Children are insufficiently protected from abuse and
the organization is not adequately addressed with accusations.
The Jehovah's Witnesses are a Christian society with around 30,000 followers in the Netherlands. About fifteen years ago, the organization in Trouw said that they only registered cases of abuse by officers. The spokesman had never heard of such abuse.
However, three of the four victims who allegedly believed to be abused by an elder were declared to be. The Dutch headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Emmen reveal that they would now "nuance more" the earlier statement. The organization does not want to engage in individual abuse cases.
She says working on the 'resilience' of children and families and discussing sexuality without 'veil of mystery'. And: 'Protecting our children is taken very seriously'.
That
response is indicative of the way the organization tries to stay out of
place, says Frances Peters, ex-witness and coach for people from
compelling religious group cultures. "They say, the children must be more resilient, while they should protect them properly."
Perhaps more victims
The abuse that victims talked to victims took place in the eighties and nineties. Victims and experts say the abuse is still taking place. There are virtually no indications that the policy of Jehovah's Witnesses has been adapted.
However,
the organization against this newspaper says "to constantly review its
procedures in order to improve the way we deal with such issues". And: "When it comes to child abuse, Jehovah's Witnesses have a clear policy based on biblical principles."
According
to Peters, the organization emphasized in 2002 and 2003 during a
training for elders that abuse is a crime that must be dealt with by the
government. "This is allowed on paper to report to the police. But the change is nowhere communicated to the members. "
For reports and reports for sexual abuse, no recent reports of (ex-) witnesses are known. The Sektesignal notification point does not want to name
organizations, but lets know that "these types of alerts come across all
kinds of groups."
According to Peters, there are no reports of witnesses: "Victims often blame themselves for the abuse. If things are done internally, that means someone has dared to open his mouth. But the chance is that there are many more victims who never dared. "
Read also:
- The story of victim Marianne Voogd: "This is our secret. When you open your mouth, I'll do something to you. "
- The story of an elder who wanted to help an abused girl: Elder is a detective, judge and psychologist
- Who are Jehovah's Witnesses actually? Read all you need to know.
A Dutch friend of mine summed up the article like this:
Well pretty much what it comes down to, that the JW organization is the pinacle for Child Abuse. That elders are playing their own judge. Now the Dutch government started a big time investigation and want to bring these pedophiles to justice.
Interestingly, one of the main drivers behind the ARC investigating the JWs in Australia was an elderly Dutch woman who's young child was raped decades ago by one of the highest ranking JW elders ever to serve in Australia at the Watchtower headquarters.
Cudos to this old Dutch pensioner who had the courage to testify before investigators - and more importantly to have kept a full documented record of everything that happened right down to scrap pieces of paper that had her child's scribble notes.
one of the highest ranking JW elders ever to serve in Australia at the Watchtower headquarters.
Is he still alive?
