I am puzzled about two key factors. One is the fact that the victims agreed to settle out of court, and two, they agreed to a gag order. Those two key factors there, tells me something as I am sure it will tell you something as well. I don't mean to leave anyone hanging here, but I prefer not to say exactly what "it" tells us.
The 16 sexual abuse cases settled this year
by WTNightmare00 23 Replies latest jw friends
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Gill
Could 'it' be telling YOU that the claimants were lying?
It depends on what you might choose to believe.
The Watchtower chose to settle out of court, with possibly very high settlements, to prevent any precedents being settled in court which might open the flood gates of claims against them. But to impose a gag order on the victims says more about the Watchtower Society.
These claimants were probably encouraged by their lawyers to settle out of court. Perhaps that should say more about their lawyers.
However, the Watchtower Society is proven guilty for covering over child abuse......that says more than enough!
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Stealth453
to impose a gag order on the victims says more about the Watchtower Society.
I agree. I speaks volumes about the wtbts, and the way they continually manipulate the situation to keep themselves out of trouble, and to keep their lawyers happy.
Hopefully, the information will eventually leak, and then we will all be able to see just what evil monsters they really are, and who they are/have been protecting.
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iamfreenow
WTNightmare,
The fact that the Watchtower were willing to settle out of court suggests that they knew they would lose these cases if they did go to court, and have todeal with all the bad publicity that would ensue from such losses.
The Watchtower has on several occasions published accounts of court cases that they have fought and won, so they are no strangers to court battles. How odd that they should capitulate on this occasion, unless of course the evidence against them was too conclusive to refute.
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WTNightmare00
I thank you guys for your input, its great! I wont say what "it" was telling ME, but I find it all interesting to say the least.
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Mrs Smith
I wont say what "it" was telling ME, but I find it all interesting to say the least
Why start a post and then say nothing? If you have an opinion I would love to hear what it is.
Many victims of sexual abuse do not want their names splashed across every newspaper in town. I can understand why victims would agree to a gag order.
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WTNightmare00
I can understand some might not want their names plastered everywhere. One of my problems with the gag order is, it took away their "personal choice" or "freedom of choice" to decide whether they wanted to share it with anyone or not.
For instance, lets say they did not agree to the gag order, and the press wanted information from them, well they had the choice to tell the press or to turn them away.
Also, without the gag order, they could have shared certain key elements about the law suits which might have aided other victims with their law suits as well. But with the gag order, that hope is gone!
If their case were so strong that they could have won in court, going to court would have helped a lot of other victims with their cases, rather then settling out of court. Normally, the way these cases were handled, it would make the Watchtower Society stronger in future court battles of this nature.
Please keep in mind, this is only my opinion and I express with the hopes of not offending anyone.
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iamfreenow
WTNightmare wrote
For instance, lets say they did not agree to the gag order, and the press wanted information from them, well they had the choice to tell the press or to turn them away.
WT, I know a family from the Kingdom Hall I used to attend who were victims of child sexual abuse by their elder father. He systematically raped all four of his daughters, beginning with the oldest when she was 8 years of age. He raped the youngest before she reached her 5th birthday. He is in prison now, serving an 8 year sentence, but his daughters are not over their ordeal, and probably never will be. None of them are jws now - the oldest was the only one to be baptised, and she and her mother were disfellowshipped after they had finally given up on receiving any help from the elders, who for years tried to cover up what their father was doing, and went to the police. Their father tried to deny the charges initially, but evidence of his depravity was found on his computer, and he was thus forced to plead guilty, sparing his children of the ordeal, because that's what it would have been, of recounting the details of what they had endured in court.
I have occasional contact with the eldest daughter, and I can assure you that she is more than relieved to have been spared from going to court and giving evidence against her father. She would love to be able to put what happened to her behind her, but doubts that she ever will. She certainly would never want to talk to the press about it, and I imagine that that may be true of many, if not most, victims of such abuse. Knowing how she and her sisters feel, and being aware of the relief they felt when their father pleaded guilty to his crimes, I don't blame the victims in the US abuse cases for settling out of court, or for agreeing not to talk about the cases to the press. If I'd sufferred in the same way that these people have, I would rather try to forget it than have it splashed across the newspapers, and have to relive such a nightmare again, wouldn't you?
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WTNightmare00
I empathize with the statements you made, Iamfreenow! Thanks!
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AK - Jeff
First - it is not unusual to impose gags on out of court settlements.
Second - The WTS obviously feared an open court judgement far more than a private pay out.
Third - The lawyers for the plaintiffs likely encouraged the victims to agree to the settlement rather than to drag them through the courts and force them to relive the pain again. Further - they we probably advised that this was the one way that they knew the WTS would be made to 'pay'.
While it is always possible that people might lie on either side - usually the liars are found on the side that stands to loose the most - in this case that would be the.... oh I am not going to tell you who that is.....
Jeff