by earthtone 85 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
It broke my heart to read about someone having to paying court fee's after wining a sexual abuse case against the WTBTS. She ended up winning 5,000 dollars but has to pay 220000 dollars in court feee to WTBTS and for her lawyer. Crazy!
http://www.silentlambs.org/newsletter/NewsLetterItem.cfm?SendoutID=136
Editted to say sorry for the swearing, even it was abbreviated, I understand.
thanks, i just became
I wonder if the "Spirit" will move the WT attorneys to forgive the $200,000 owed them by the Boers?
What a slap in the face.
In Canada, Vicki Boer brought a civil lawsuit against the elders of her former congregation and the WTBTS asking for $700,000 dollars concerning her child abuse at the hands of her father who was one of Jehovah's Witnesses claiming they were negligent, breached their duty, advised her against contacting the authorities, and against seeking professional help. What did the court find?
Presiding Judge Anne Molloy ruled that the WTS and elders were not at fault and did not contribute to or promote in any way the child abuse that took place. The court said, "There is no foundation on the facts to support an award for punitive damages. Most of the allegations against the defendants have not been established on the facts. The defendants who interacted with the plaintiff did not bear ill will toward her. They accepted the veracity of her account, were sympathetic to her situation and meant her no harm. The claim for punitive damages is dismissed."
As respects her findings as to whether the elders advised Boer not to tell the authorities and not to seek professional help the judge stated very clearly her findings:
The defendants did not instruct the plaintiff not to get medical help. She chose not to seek professional help herself against the advice of the elders and Mr. Mott-Trille. The defendants did not instruct the plaintiff that her father?s abuse should not be reported. On the contrary, the defendants directed Mr. Palmer (the abuser) to report himself to the C.A.S. and then followed up directly to ensure he had done so.
Judge Molloy also examined similar cases from the United States and candidly stated in her ruling: I conclude that had Ms. Boer?s action been brought in the United States, it would likely be subject to summary dismissal based on these cases.
However, despite this, the court did award her $5,000 for the trauma caused her in confronting her father at a investigative meeting stating, "There was, however, psychological harm to the plaintiff as a result of the December 29, 1989 meeting. She was in a very vulnerable state at the time as she had just begun to deal with the effects of her father?s abuse. I accept the evidence of the various experts, including Dr. Awad, that this confrontation made things worse for the plaintiff."
But the flip side of the ruling is that the same court ordered Vicki Boer to pay the WTS $142,000 dollars in legal fees. Thus netting the WTS a sum total of $137,000 dollars as a result of the civil suit brought against them. It seems the Canadian courts do not take lightly cases based on "frivolous charges" and forcing someone to defend themselves "against false or unprovable charges."
How much do you suppose that the Boer's spiritual counselor, Bill Bowen and his Silent Lambs organization, was willing to contribute to help the Boer's pay their own legal fees of over $90,000 that were incurred as well as the $137,000 that they were ordered to pay to the WTS? Apparently whatever they contributed, if anything, was not nearly enough because Scott Boer commmented, "We've pretty much exhausted our finances pursuing the case this far, and now we're to the point where we simply couldn't afford an appeal. We going to simply have to accept the judgment and if we have to declare bankruptcy for a victory, then we have to declare bankruptcy." It seems that Silent Lambs by encouraging such lawsuits are contributing to further financial victimizing of the already abused victims. We have to wonder if it is concern for the abused victims that motivates Bowen's organization or their obvious agenda to discredit the WTS that motivates and consumes them.
Generously, showing no ill will or lust for revenge (in contrast to the picture that apostates try to paint of a greedy, money-loving corporation) the WTS agreed to call it even and did not insist that Vicki Boer pay the $137,000 awarded to them by the court. It seems that in the end the WTS actually helped out the Boer's financially more than the Silent Lambs organization.
"There was, however, psychological harm to the plaintiff as a result of the December 29, 1989 meeting. She was in a very vulnerable state at the time as she had just begun to deal with the effects of her father?s abuse. I accept the evidence of the various experts, including Dr. Awad, that this confrontation made things worse for the plaintiff."
Hey 3rd, just out of curiosity, what happened? I'm not arguing your post, I am just curious.
Generously, showing no ill will or lust for revenge (in contrast to the picture that apostates try to paint of a greedy, money-loving corporation) the WTS agreed to call it even and did not insist that Vicki Boer pay the $137,000 awarded to them by the court. It seems that in the end the WTS actually helped out the Boer's financially more than the Silent Lambs organization.
3rd - too bad that same great WTS did not "generously" agree to change the 2 witness to a sexual assault requirement. And yes 3rd you are so correct the WTS helped out the Boer's so much they taught a little girl all about sex before it was time so she would be aware of what her husband would want because you know she needs to be a capable wife some day. Oh no, that must not be it. Maybe, the elders helped her out by asking her very specific questions so as to make her feel ever worse, even worse then the rape that happened. Or maybe that same WTBTS also helped her out by stating in their publications that therapists will only turn her away from the true god which will in turn cause her to lose ever lasting life. Oh, well maybe not that, but how about maybe the WTBTS published further articles to discourage anyone from addressing sexual abuse but "encouraged" everyone to go to the elders first and then the elders were the ones that said don't go to the police. Oh, no wait, maybe the Society has a checks and balances to make sure that all the kids in the hall are protected from pervs. Oh no wait .....
Honestly, you are just saying these things to get a reaction because NO one in their right mind can possible believe what you posted. You are having fun at our expense. And ya know what, if that is what you need to do to live your life or to make your life worth living, well I guess all I can say is post away.
Anyways, you cannot be a JW because your mere viewing of this site is an apostate move and one that should it be brought to the attention of the BOE you would be counseled and possible action would be taken for your blatant disregard for their spiritual counsel. You could receive more of a punishment for your lack of heeding counsel then for a child molester would get for molesting a child in the hall. How very sad is that. But 3rd, why don't you give me an upside to this, because clearly you are the great and wise one based on your prior posting.
Do JW Elders advise against contacting the authorities in the case of child abuse? Is that a standard practice?
For the most part I stay out of child abuse threads, but this one wasn't labeled as such. I hope thirdwitness is correct and the Watchtower cancled the $137,000 in lawyer fees.
You go looking_glass!
Wow, aren't JW lawyers volunteers? Therefore any legal TIME should not be an actual expense, should it? (Remember the JW lawyer who was injured and sued? VOLUNTEER)
Thirdwitness has the knack of making sh-t look like gold. He did it in the U.N. thread and now he's doing it here.
