Ho Hum, just another JW sex abuse case

by Dubby 32 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

Dubby

Judge blasts church over sex offences
By MICHELE TYDD
A Wollongong judge yesterday launched a scathing attack on the Jehovah's
Witness congregation at Balgownie, accusing elders of failing to report
child sex abuse.
Judge John Goldring in Wollongong District Court said he was surprised
police had not taken action against the congregation.
``And I wished they had,'' the angry judge said.
The attack came as he sentenced Robert Leslie Souter to five years' jail
for sexual assaults on two teenage boys 20 years ago.
Judge Goldring said congregation elders were told of the sexual assaults
by Souter in 1990 and he was ``disfellowshipped'' or excommunicated five
years later without any further action.
``The moral punishment imposed by a church is not punishment demanded by
law,'' Judge Goldring said.
``I cannot criticise the church sufficiently enough ... it's well known in
these courts that churches are criticised for failing to report criminal
activity.''
``The church may have spiritual responsibility but it does not exceed the
authority of the state,'' Judge Goldring said.
The congregation that met in Balgownie was known as the Corrimal
congregation. It has since moved to Fairy Meadow.
Souter, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of buggery and four counts of
indecent assault.
The court was told the offences took place when Souter and the two victims
were members of the congregation at Balgownie. From 1978 to 1980 Souter
committed at least five offences, four of which were committed on one
victim.
The court heard Souter became known to the boys' families and earned their
trust.
Souter committed the sex acts during outings to the beach and to the Blue
Mountains.
Solicitor for the Crown Ines Chiumento said it had been a major violation
of trust.
Souter's barrister Terry McGill, who defended the congregation saying it
took great pains to care for its flock, told the court his client had
suffered remorse since the offences.
He said Souter's marriage had broken up and he now lived in another state.
Judge Goldring said he reduced the jail sentence taking into account
Souter had been a sex abuse victim. He imposed a non-parole period of
three years.
Presiding elder in the Corrimal congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Roger
Graham, said he could not comment about practices 20 years ago.
However, he said the approach the congregation took today was to speak to
victims and offer them support and encouragement to come forward.
``If they choose to take legal action, we give them all the support they
need,'' Mr Graham said.
``It is not up to the church to take that action without victim approval
because it is they who have to face the interrogation and stress of the
matter.''
"Enjoy God's creation, ride a dirt bike!"
Pathofthorns

I was thinking of a certain someone as I read their post on H20. I know nothing can heal the scars and there is I asume nothing anyone can really say, especially someone who has never been there.
Perhaps there can be some comfort in these ones who find the strength to come forward and tell what happened. It seems to me, that such crimes are so in the public eye now, that maybe such ones might think twice. Then again, perhaps they don't. I'm not sure.
All I know, is that while society's morals waste away, there remains that one last vision to protect the innocence of children. Even prisoners draw the line there, and perhaps these ones will get a taste of some old fasion prison justice.
I don't know if I can fault the JW's more than others, but I do know we cared more about preserving a squeaky clean image, that since has become very much like the rest. The Society has at least to my knowledge taken a very strong stance against abuses against children these days. I think though, old school thinking produced the results you mentioned above, and you still have alot of congregations run by old school POs who refuse to get with the program.
Perhaps one day.
Path
Edited by - Pathofthorns on 5 August 2000 20:47:22
waiting

Hello Dubby and Path,
Presiding elder in the Corrimal congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Roger
Graham, said he could not comment about practices 20 years ago.
However, he said the approach the congregation took today was to speak to
victims and offer them support and encouragement to come forward.
``If they choose to take legal action, we give them all the support they
need,'' Mr Graham said.
Perhaps that's true in Australia. I believe that the usa law is now, not 20 years ago, that if a minister, doctor, etc. has knowledge of child abuse, they must report it.
The law doesn't say the parents or the victim has the right to keep it quiet. The law says it must be reported.
Too many children have been molested, raped, beaten, and then been told to be quiet - either by their parents or by persons in authority, or the abuser. Whether that authority is a minister, teacher, whatever, it is wrong.
I think the double bind comes when it is somebody you trust tells you to be quiet. They are your counselors - your channel to God.
Therefore, it might be construed that God is telling the victim or the victim's parents to be quiet.
According to what I've read, the courts do not see this as a Breech of Fiduciary Trust. I don't know why - the flock trusts the shepherds (at least that's what has been pounded into our heads for a century.)
Perhaps if enough people speak up to bring pressure for either reform or whatever, the children might be heard. Perhaps some even saved.
Who knows?
waiting
RedhorseWoman

I hope that the congregations in the US have changed their stance on this. In talking with many who were sexually abused by parents or others in the congregation, nothing was done to help the victim and the whole matter was hushed up so that the congregation could appear without blemish. Some of these instances were not all that long ago.
Dubby

What irritates me is how the Society tried to present itself as just about immune to these problems. Naively, I accepted the tripe that they were a "clean" org. when I was young. Many a time did the WTS expound on it's exceptional contrast to the Catholic church and the rest when it comes to morality. At one time I really did believe that the WTS was so vastly different from other religions of the "world". Well, they've been found out. Everything from pedophiles to bogus doctrines. So much for Jehovah's "clean" organization. What a scam.
Pathofthorns

:)
I bought into it too. Just think though, how foolish you'd feel at this point if you still did? Everything naked and exposed for all to see, and so many refuse to wake up.
Path
waiting

Hey guys,
Does anyone actually know the law in Oz in the matter of reporting incest/rape? Do doctors, teachers, ministers, etc. have to report, under law, situations that have been reported to them to the legal authorities?
However, he said the approach the congregation took today was to speak to
victims and offer them support and encouragement to come forward.
``If they choose to take legal action, we give them all the support they
need,'' Mr Graham said.
``It is not up to the church to take that action without victim approval
because it is they who have to face the interrogation and stress of the
matter.''
This elder is saying that the elders in Australia are not legally bound to report sex abusers, even rapists.
Br. Graham is also saying that even if a person comes forward, they will be "given all the support that they will need" - not necessarily witness support in a law suit or talking with authorities to have person arrested. "Support" can mean different things to different people.
The law in the usa is that persons such as ministers, teachers, doctors, etc. must report to the legal authorities cases of suspected sexual or physical abuse.
Is the law the same in Australia?
waiting
Frenchy

waiting: Unless something has changed recently we were told to call the society in all such cases and then we would receive instructions. I think it has to do with the variance of the laws on such matters state to state.
-Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it-
waiting

Hey Frenchy,
I guess that was part of my question:
Unless something has changed recently we were told to call the society in all such cases and then we would receive instructions.
What if, by chance, the Society didn't want the situation to become public knowledge?
As in my case, the elders told me that they were not under law or obligation to report, even to the other congregation where the molester resided, my daughter's accusation against this ministerial servant.
The elders told me if I wanted to alert this congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses about a rapist in their midst, that was my freedom - it was not their responsibility. And they refused to get involved.
I reported it to the PO, who had a letter from this man's daughter telling of decades of rapes done to her by her father. He had just received the letter.
This cong. had the letter in their hands about the rapist - I asked if they were going to call the police? They said no, it was not for them to get involved. I called and reported him.
I understand the point of not wanting to get involved with rapists. But to allow a rapist to exist, knowingly in another congregation, and do absolutely nothing - is pure cover up. Just a phone call to say, "hey, we've got this report here about bro........, might want to look into this."
Weirdly, if those elders had done that, the cong. in Indiana would have told them the same thing they told me, "well, what a coincidence, we just received a letter from this man's grown daughter telling of decades of him raping her. Maybe we should look into this."
They would have looked like the good guys instead of cold blooded as*holes.
That has nothing to do with law. It has everything to do with morality.
I know the Society has to protect itself and the congregations. I know that there are different laws for states, nations. I also know there is an issue of morality and protecting children.
In this instance, I know that the elders refused to lift a finger to even talk to the rapist, reported by two witnesses, within the midst of the congregation of Jehovah. And I know that my Circuit Overseer strongly, politely, encouraged me to be quiet, because it "wasn't an upbuilding event for the brothers and sisters."
And I was, for a long time.
waiting
RedhorseWoman

Waiting, this whole thing about protecting the congregation is absolutely ridiculous. They are so concerned about looking good to the world that they're willing to sacrifice lives and allow criminals to continue on with their heinous acts.
I would think that protection of the sheep would come first...no matter that the world finds out that JW's are not all perfect and wonderful....no matter that the world finds out that JW's are just like everyone else.
They're so quick to criticize other religions for immoral and illegal acts committed by their members. It doesn't make the problem go away by denying its existence.

Ho Hum, just another JW sex abuse case

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