Elders knew a woman got raped- the woman presses charges but case was (page 5)

Jim_TX

"They said that they new he was guilty. So, he shouldn't have been able to become a publisher and get baptised as soon as he did... Maybe they couldn't do anything in regard to the law, but to have one of there investigations and him proven by them to be guilty, it's crazy that they let him in the congregation so quickly afterwards..."

Coming in late on this thread... I hope that I don't add fuel to the raging fire...

Could it be that the elders - seeing that they didn't have enough 'evidence' to do anything... wait a minute. What COULD they do? If he wasn't even baptized... what would be their recourse? I don't see any.

So. That being said... if they allow him to get baptized... and THEN he commits another act... as a baptized publisher - and is found 'guilty' (whatever that means) - then they have the right to bust his a** - and kick him outta the whole organization. Problem solved. Nobody can speak to him since he's DFed.

But - until he is a baptized publisher... what can they do? They certainly aren't going to go to the authorities - this is against all that Brooklyn would advise them to do.

I never wuz an elder... but from just looking at this whole situation - I believe that one can figure out what their next move would be - and that was to allow him to get baptized.

Yes... sadly... he will probably assault some poor 'sister' again in the future - as a result of the elders' actions.

Just my .02 worth.

Regards,

Jim TX

UnConfused

I have been asking questions to try to figure out what could have happened that would A.) Allow the elders to take action B.) That would explain why the police didn't and neither did the elders.

So what do you think the elders should have done?

IF it was all so definite why didn't the police do anything?

Bumble Bee

IF it was all so definite why didn't the police do anything?

That's what I've been wondering. Maybe I missed something, I've had alot on my plate the last two days, but if there was rape there would be evidence, even if he used a condom there is evidence of sexual activity.

cognac

I have been asking questions to try to figure out what could have happened that would A.) Allow the elders to take action B.) That would explain why the police didn't and neither did the elders.

So what do you think the elders should have done?

IF it was all so definite why didn't the police do anything?

I don't know whether or not the elders could have done anything legally... I just don't think he should have been allowed to become baptised so quickly after. The elders couldn't really take much action within the congregation because he wasn't even a publisher at the time... As far as the police not doing anything... It depends on the laws in each state... Because she didn't technically say "no" and because no drugs could be found in her, there was not much that they could do... Everything comes down to a lot of circumstantial evidence... He even left her a long vm the next day apologizing but since he didn't technically state what he was apologizing for, it just adds up to circumstancial evidence... He did want to meet her so that he could say he was sorry. She wouldn't. I wonder if she recorded an apology and what he was apologizing for, whether or not it could be used...

brinjen

Elders are hardly well known for taking action in 'these matters' anyway. My impression is they were investigating the woman, not the unbaptised publisher. As for the police, the burden of proof would have been on the prosecution to prove the intercourse happened without her consent. They may have decided there wasn't enough actual evidence to prove that point.

The telling statistics
In a 2002 study of nearly 1,500 cases, alcohol was involved in 51%.
In 32% of cases, both victim and offender had been drinking.
Only 20% of reported rapes go to trial.
According to British Crime Survey, 47,000 women are raped each year.
In 2002, only 21% of rapes of adults which were prosecuted led to conviction.
Most cases are dropped at the early stages, and this is often because victims refuse to give evidence.
The number of victims aged under 20 is growing.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/nov/25/students.ukcrime

cognac

if there was rape there would be evidence, even if he used a condom there is evidence of sexual activity.

There was evidence of that. That's not enough evidence to be convicted of rape...

UnConfused

Without knowing all the characters involved he could certainly have been willing to apologize for the sex, knowing what position it put her in with the religion. What I'm also saying is that you've gotten only her version it would appear cognac and have concluded that he is a rapist and the elders were helping to cover it over to an extent and further could have aided the police but didn't. Just a lot of jumping to conclusions.

Brinjen - I know what you are saying and I'm not defending elders in general and agree that most actual rapes likely don't get reported. But it is also true that a woman can cover over her behavior after the fact by claiming lack of consent, ruining a man's reputation, all without evidence. Who is the victim in those cases?

cognac is convinced of this woman's version and it may all be true, but from the first post it was a stretch for me to see what else the elders could have done in this case.

Certainly if they had refused to allow him to publish and then be baptised a thread could have also been started "Baptised JW has sex with man, claims rape, no evidence, police take no action, but he's not allowed to worship God and get baptised"

UnConfused

Of course there is no way to even question a woman's version of a story without coming across as further victimizing her is there? This is why I said that before drinking or having sex with a woman a guy should get a written letter of consent before hand. And especially, as we've learned, if you are in Texas or N. Carolina. Also if you near a gal who might have a bruised ego or conscience the next day.....

cognac

Do you think the people at Bethal may know about this?

brinjen

I think a few here are misunderstanding Cognac's point. Let's alter the 'scenario' a little. An unbaptized publisher has what is believed to be conscential sex with a baptised dub. Think it would have been so easy for him to get baptised in six months time then?

Elders knew a woman got raped- the woman presses charges but case was

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