It was bad journalism in the OP link and is a disservice to the valid work the ExJW community does. Videos perpetuating this journalism are also a disservice.
the girl next door
JoinedPosts by the girl next door
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Jehovah's Witnesses 'ordered destruction' of notes which could have been used during child sexual abuse inquiry
by oppostate inhttp://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/jehovahs-witnesses-ordered-destruction-notes-10848053.
jehovah's witnesses 'ordered destruction' of notes which could have been used during child sexual abuse inquiry.
06:21, 7 feb 2016. by huw silk.
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Jehovah's Witnesses 'ordered destruction' of notes which could have been used during child sexual abuse inquiry
by oppostate inhttp://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/jehovahs-witnesses-ordered-destruction-notes-10848053.
jehovah's witnesses 'ordered destruction' of notes which could have been used during child sexual abuse inquiry.
06:21, 7 feb 2016. by huw silk.
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the girl next door
This was posted by Konceptual99 months ago when everyone jumped on this story:
"UK has a data protection law. JW's complied with it.
Since 2000/2001 all congregation judicial records (envelopes) EXCEPT child molestation cases are to be destroyed by the service committee and replaced with a file which lists:
Name of 3 elders on case/date/name of individual/ and reproved or DFD/DA'd in file. No details kept.
Child molestation cases are sent to the branch in its entirety and a separate child protection file is kept by the secretary with basic details of the case. Accessible to ALL elders.
Every year the elders get a reminder to do an audit with the checklist shown. It is the service committee's responsibility to do it. Ongoing child molestation cases are not destroyed but sent to the branch and basic details are kept in the congregation child protection file. Each elder must destroy anything he "inadvertently" kept such as his personal notes from any judicial matter he dealt with. UK elders are not specifically required to destroy or keep anything by law.
Any data they keep has to comply to the Data Protection Act about how it is obtained, for what purpose and how long it is kept for. An individual can make an information request at any time to see the data held about them the recent(and yearly) audit letter and the letter posted below demonstrate that the WTS is very prescriptive in ensuring the minimum data is kept, for two key reasons:
1 - to prevent elders keeping data that either does not comply with the DPA or data that could be used in a civil case by someone wishing to bring a case against a congregation on the basis of information held about them.
2 - to keep to a minimum data that could be used by the authorities against the organisation.
Point 1 is because elders are often idiots and careless about what they write down and keep hold of.
Point 2 is because the WTS has a persecution complex and imagines they are going to be oppressed at some point.
It's a matter of opinion but asking elders to audit their records against the published benchmarks is...not quite the same as getting them to destroy evidence or cover things up. If they have no legal obligation to hold the data then they cannot be accused of destroying evidence. When it comes to child abuse, the processes are clear about what should be held. This is so some measure of "due diligence" and "duty of care" can be demonstrated rather than adherence to any legal obligation is concerned.
They can, however, be asked to explain how such instructions really tally with an open, transparent and progressive organisation, especially when it comes to child abuse. The instructions can be compared with other organisations to illustrate the predictably huge gap between the WTS' claims of being leaders in child abuse management and the reality of what is best practice in the vast majority of similar organisations."Barbara Anderson added elsewhere:
"If you look on page 4, par. 5 in the Dec. 9, 2008 BOE letter, it states, "Each year we will provide a checklist-style worksheet to help service committees accomplish an audit of files. ..." So it is obvious that WT of Britain has been sending this form to UK congregations annually since 2008. It's not a new directive! And please note, this worksheet is a form, not a BOE letter, and it's not to be sent back to the WT, but shared with the CO. All statements/instructions, etc., on the Audit Checklist-style Form can be verified in the elders "Flock" manual which I did do. There's nothing especially important about this 2015 Form which certainly didn't deserve the excitement it generated a few months ago. In my opinion, if the WT anywhere in the world wanted elders to destroy very confidential congregational files, which in certain instances could be viewed by authorities as breaking the law, they sure wouldn't send all cong. service committees instructions explaining how to do it on an auditing checklist form."
This is the letter:
And memo:
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My experience with the people in my hall
by Freeandclear ini've been awake now for about 6 months i'd guess and a member here for a couple of weeks.
it's been eye opening to read other peoples experiences on here and i appreciate all of you.
i've noticed in many, seemingly most, of your comments that you were not treated well at your hall or you have had very negative experiences in the "org" so i thought i'd like to share mine.. in all my time as a jw i have to say for the most part i always loved the people.
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the girl next door
JwDom is a series of doors. Each door leads to more egregious behaviors from the flock. It would be easy to sit behind door number 1 with rose colored glasses on and view all the lovely people. But try pioneering, bethel service, ms, elder, etc. If you had a dipstick to check it first to see how wonderful it may or may not be, specifically dealing with the psychotic personalities of your peers walking through those doors, you would immediately shove the dipstick down and run. Many of us learned the hard way. -
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Stephen Lett at our assembly today
by StarTrekAngel inhe delivered the most cultic piece of propaganda i've ever seen in an assembly.
wife typed up the whole thing.
i will be posting when i get a chance.
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the girl next door
Imitate Jah, Jesus, the angels and.....the elders. But be careful because elders screw up. Don't worship them because if you do, when they fail, it will draw you away from "the truth". Lots of time spent on elders. Pretty much the same drip as always, except elders are leaving in droves and rank and file are following them out. Thus the speech.
Good note taking. Thanks for posting.
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Is a piano inevitable?
by slimboyfat ini was at a concert last night and the presence and stature of the piano struck me.
and i thought: if the piano wasn't invented when it was, would it have been invented by someone else instead?
or if there was a world the same as our, except with a different history, would it have pianos now too or would it be modern world, similar in many respects, only without pianos?
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the girl next door
I watch the Da Vinci series. Loosely based on history. Yet I am impressed with the portrayal of Leo's designer mind. Some are just gifted in what seems a miraculous way. Thats what it was with the piano. Something easier, broader, that just made sense. Of course someone else would have come along to dream it up. Look at the iphone. -
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How the Internet is Destroying Mormonism
by slimboyfat ininteresting video, shame it wasn't about jws.
http://youtu.be/-1bdbkjbzzy.
what a would be your top 5 shocking things you found out about jws on the internet?.
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the girl next door
Good thread, and nice opener from Orphan Crow. Would like to research those bullet points more. Any direction would be greatly appreciated OC. -
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What ever happened to Greg Stafford?
by Luther bertrand ini met him a couple times at some debates and ran with a circle of friends?
however, i never heard what happened to him.what the heck is he up to after having written 3 dissertations.
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the girl next door
You can ask him how he's doing here(or read the latest blog): http://elihubooks.blogspot.com/ -
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Stephen Lett at our assembly today
by StarTrekAngel inhe delivered the most cultic piece of propaganda i've ever seen in an assembly.
wife typed up the whole thing.
i will be posting when i get a chance.
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the girl next door
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Things JW's and Atheists have in common
by juandefiero ini was just thinking about something someone said on another thread.
to paraphrase, 'jw beliefs like there being no hellfire, immortal soul, the condition at death...have the ring of truth.'.
i realized, atheists believe these things too!.
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the girl next door
That's enough internet for me today. Good grief. -
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Court denies summary judgement for Laurel Jehovah's Witnesses congregation
by OrphanCrow incourt denies summary judgement for laurel jehovah's witnesses congregation.
a motion for summary judgement is denied in a case against the laurel congregation of jehovah's witnesses and some individuals over child abuse reporting issues.a lawyer for the congregation maintained that elders were exempted from reporting requirements under a state law because of clergy privilege and confidentiality.the case resulted from allegations that elders did not report an unlawful sexual relationship between a woman and a 14-year-old boy, both of whom were members of the jehovah's witnesses congregation.. download the court opinion here.
http://courts.delaware.gov/opinions/download.aspx?id=235880.
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the girl next door
Fisherman, you keep using the word "immunity". There is no immunity, if there was Watchtower would not be doling out millions of dollars in litigation, settlements and judgement. The word you are looking for is "privilege" and as discussed previously there are ALWAYS exceptions to privilege.
The duty to report child abuse often arises in settings that have nothing to do with the clergy-communicant privilege. For example, information regarding child abuse by church personnel may be transmitted to church officials from clergy or non-clergy persons such as the victims, family members or friends of the victim in circumstances not covered by the clergy privilege. Similarly, church officials may conduct investigations and otherwise obtain information from sources in unprivileged contexts.
This is fact and established by case law. It illustrates fully where JWs fail when asserting privilege.
