Hey guys, long time from me and no topics (yup moving is a pain). I'm sure no one really remembers but at my last postings I was mentioning that my wife was pregnant. Well now I'm the proud poppa of a beautiful 2 week old baby girl.
This of course brings complications, my mother is still an active JW and surely chomping at the bit to bring my daughter (did I mention she's beautiful) to show off to all her meeting friends.
Of course I don't want my daughter exposed to this, so I came up with a tactic I would like everyone's opinion on. I noticed the one chink in my mom's JW armor is the stuff about sexual abuse (through our game of casually mentioning stuff).
My plan is to tell my mother that if she does bring my child to the hall I don't want her letting my child out of her sight for a second, not to let it alone with anyone because I don't feel that there are policies in place to protect my daughter from abuse. I always think that questions are the best attack so I came up with questions that I'll say "until these are answered in a satisfactory manner I cannot change my position". Here are the questions:
1.) If my child says they have been molested by a member of the congregation and there is no second witness to the crime what would happen to the accused if he denied guilt?
2.) If there is physical evidence of the abuse from a doctor, would this effect the decision?
3.) Would the congregation be warned to avoid leaving their children alone with the accused?
4.) If there is deemed insufficient evidence to disfellowship the accused what if the victim or the victim’s family warns the congregation?
5.) What if the victim or the victim’s family went to the press?
6.) If there is deemed insufficient evidence to disfellowship the accused and they move to another congregation, would that congregation be notified of the previous accusation?
7.) It is not required for clergy to report abuse in Rhode Island; would a call be placed to Child Services to investigate?
8.) Would this be different if the abuse occurred Massachusetts where it is required that clergy report abuse?
9.) How would the abuse be reported to Child Services (Child Services will not investigate any anonymous claims)?
10.) Would the method, time or location in which the accusation was reported be made available to Child Services?
11.) Would the contact information for the person reporting be made available to Child Services? His position?
12.) Would this change at all if the accused was not a Witness?
13.) If the accused confesses would this affect the reporting process?
14.) If the victim’s family chooses not to press charges would this effect the reporting process?
15.) If the Statute of Limitations has expired would this effect the decision?
16.) If the accused confesses and is disfellowshipped is the congregation made aware of why the accused was disfellowshipped?
17.) If the accused who has been disfellowshipped is later re-instated would the congregation be warned not to allow their children alone with them?
18.) What if the victim or the victim’s family tells the congregation?
19.) If the accused that has been disfellowshipped and later re-instated moves to another congregation would that new congregation be warned?
20.) Do any of the answers seem to protect the accused (even if they’ve confessed) more than protecting potential victims? If so, why is this the case? With the answers provided could anyone work this system to potentially abuse several children without punishment? Could you bring your concerns with the process to the congregation openly?
Do you think these questions are sufficient, are they biting enough? Is there anything that I could add without sounding too apostate or is it already sounding too apostate? Any help would be greatly appreciated.