How I handled Child Abuse cases when I was an Elder (1996-2006)

by slmdf 89 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

  • mcsemike
    mcsemike

    To slmdf: You'd think the WT would want to blow their own horn and show the world how holy they are by telling the cops. Not to do so, as you noted, hinders the prosecution of the case. I arrest the whole god damn bunch of them, from elders all the way up to the GB. Put them all in prison for life. We'll see if they come to realize how the victims feel when their 300 pound roommate named "Bubba" wants them for more than a Bible study.

    Covering their asses?? Yes, they do.

  • mcsemike
    mcsemike

    Jesus did the right thing even if it stirred up trouble and caused the "true religion at the time" to be sucked into things. Why does the WT NOT trust Jehovah to protect them while they're out telling publishers who the molesting slimeballs are.

    WT: I'm giving you 10 years to correct this problem properly and to MY satisfaction. If you Bethel lurkers are reading this, don't laugh. Many people are going to get hurt if you keep protecting the molesters. I never give up.

  • slmdf
    slmdf

    Drew -

    Thanks for posting.

    So if the Elders get busted for never contacting the authorities how do you prove that you actually did tell them? Or is the WTS just setting you up to take the fall in order to protect "Jehovah's name"?

    Or was your situation one in which you where not required?

    I don't know if an elder could ever prove he called, really. Although he would always do so with another elder present. So it would meet the JW 2-witness rule. LOL. I think the legal department has thought this through thoroughly to minimize risk to the "organization" and I bet if elders got caught in something, the society would back away and tell them they handled it wrong.

    All the situations I dealt with were in "reportable" states, so I always called.

    MCS - I couldn't agree more.

  • Balsam
    Balsam

    SLMDF,

    It is a tough subject because I believe that most Elders did their jobs because they wanted to be helpful. Sadly because of following the WTS rules it hampered them from doing a good job. It is apparent that the Society only was interested in protecting their arses up on high. They were afraid the money would dry up or they would be sued. They did the exact opposite of what they should have done and have ruined their so called good name and brought a huge reproach on themself at Brooklyn headquarters.

    One should never give their reasoning power away.

    Ruth

  • White Dove
    White Dove

    They sure do tie your hands. It's disgusting!

  • wednesday
    wednesday
    Additionally, some may find it interesting to note what happened one time when I did call the authorities (thankfully I was in a "reporting state" each time there was an issue, or I too probably would have followed Big Brother's direction). When I called them anonymously from a payphone, of course Child Protection Services wanted to know who I was. I couldn't tell them. They wanted to know how I knew the victim. I couldn't tell them. They wanted to know how I found out about it. I couldn't tell them. This went on and on and on. I basically couldn't tell them anything other than what the legal department told me I could which was, "There has been an accusation that Mr. so-and-so has abused a minor child by the name of such-and-such. That minor child has verified the accusation. It occured in the state of XX, this many times, over a period of XXXX. That's all I will say." You are VERY clearly instructed by the Legal Department NOT to EVER say ANYTHING regarding the Watchtower Society or it's Legal Department, or that you were given ANY direction by ANYONE on what to say or how to handle the matter. So, they're covering their own asses - without a doubt.

    I know you feel you did the only thing you could but that is just not true. It is so sleazy to call from a phone booth and yes CPS wants to know who you are. you could have reported it as any responsible person should do.

  • bobld
    bobld

    slmdf your 97 comments are right on.What gets me about the gb/org.is their out right lies.I see it in their wt/a,d.c,.c.a.,sad.and they pound it in the the heads of the r&f.But,But,how can you escape with the least damage to yourself.your loved one,your children.Because they bought into it line,hook,sinker and cannot see the light of day.They are so brainwashed,mind controlled that a nuclear bomb couldn't dislodge their thinking so saaaaddddd.

    Bob

    PS :Now that so many elders know how the scum (GB) operates maybe they can back up Bill Bowan and the silence lambs.Also let the media know the truth about the WBTS.Not their lies,half truths.

  • flipper
    flipper

    SLMDF- it is good of you to be on this board and be willing to help others now to be protected of these evils of child molestation. But each of us really has an obligation to let others we know that the Jehovah's Witness organization is committing these grievous cover up actions. I for one am not going to be silent about it. My witness family will get NBC documentation in the mail within the next week with their own copies of the news release.

    I definitely agree with Restrangled's husband, this is an ethical and moral issue, not a religious issue that the witnesses are trying to hide behind. If it has to come out in bits and pieces like it has the last few years so be it, just give me a chipping hammer and I'll whack away at it until all the scum falls from the witnesses hiding tactics. Peace out, Mr. Flipper

  • llbh
    llbh

    Hi slmdf

    I had this discussion with a friend. I am a governor at a local school, they have definite and rigorous policies on child protection. All governors should attend basic level training. There is also a designated procedure on how to deal with any allegations of child abuse, or suspected child abuse. There are members of staff at a senior level who are tasked to deal with this. . All allegations are minuted thus providing a clear paper trail.

    How different from the wtbs!!

  • Farkel
    Farkel

    slmdf,

    Thanks for sharing your experiences. What I found quite interesting is that you were just one elder who served in several congregations and yet you had to deal with multiple case of molestation in your elder career. That was just YOU. There are now what, 80,000+ congregations with what, 320,000 elders+/-? Yet the WTS has said there were less than a DOZEN lawsuits against THEM in the last 100 years! Well, so WHAT? The real question is how many RAPES and MOLESTATIONS were and are there that DON'T result in lawsuits. This duplicity on the part of the WTS makes me sick. The statement made by the WTS was ALL ABOUT THEM and the number of lawsuits THEY had to deal with. It was not about the children and the criminal abuses, but all about THEM. Sanctimonious bastards. May they rot in a pile of Watchtower magazines for eternity.

    Farkel

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