Flipper asked this question and got me thinking about it. Why don't they do more to protect the children? Why not hunt the abusers down and get them out of the organization? So I started thinking about the mind control techniques that cults use and wondered if they play a part in it and if so how?
If we look at Lifton's Eight Criteria for Thought Reform it is interesting to see how it fits into a cults ideology. (I thought this would be just a couple of them but I think they all play into it)
Milieu Control
Milieu control takes over human communication from both within the group and outside the group. The leaders decide what information you can and cannot have. Eventually the process is intense enough that the individual begins to control their inner thought processes not allowing forbidden thoughts to be entertained in their own minds. There are controls in place both within the group to limit access to everything a person sees, hears, reads and writes. Peer pressure is used to maintain the control. And the last aspect of milieu control is implanting a fear that the only place you are safe is inside the group; that people on the outside will not understand.
The WTS depends heavily on JWs thinking only approved positive thoughts about the org. It is unthinkable that the WTS and JWs have the same problems to the same extent as the rest of the world. Problems like alcoholism, mental health problems, adultery. sexual abuse of children, spousal abuse are unthinkable for people in God's org. Therefore it must be edited out, covered-up. That sentence at the end - that "the only place you are safe is inside the group" is crucial to the members of the group. Telling members they must protect themselves from each other is not compatible with "this is the only place where you are safe".
Mystical Manipulation
Leaders who use mind control techniques almost always claim that they are agents of some "higher power" or force. Their purposes are higher, more pure, uniquely righteous, and exclusive. By claiming this they can then claim that they are the ONLY path to salvation. Since members are convinced that they are the ONLY chosen ones, whatever they do to enhance or put forward that belief is acceptable. It also allows members to use deception or playing with words to hide their real purpose.
The "higher power" here is supposedly Jehovah who is higher, purer, uniquely righteous and exclusive". If they are like everyone else with the same problems as everyone else their claim of special salvation goes down the drain. At all costs they must use deception to maintain the illusion.
Demand for Purity
For groups that use these techniques the world becomes divided into "us" and "them". We are right, absolutely good, pure, chosen and everybody else is wrong, absolutely bad, evil and doomed. To maintain your status in the group as one of the chosen you must continually prove yourself worthy by conforming to ever changing beliefs. The demand for purity also permits leaders to expel those who do not absolutely conform. The need to conform in thought, feeling, and behavior would move to get people to confess if they personally did not conform in some manner.
There is so much pressure to have no problems. It is totally unrealistic and is probably the root of so many of the health problems JWs experience. So it wouldn't look very good to be advertising the very real problems in the congregations. So even though these things do occur they must at all costs remain hidden even at the expense of vulnerable children. The need for a "clean" reputation would come before the people involved. So everything gets swept under the carpet.
Confession
Many group require forms of confession. In a thought controlled group this takes on intense dynamics. In these groups confessions can go on for hours with constant criticism all with the goal of the individual acknowledging that they have not conform to the group ideology. The individual must surrender any sense of self and go back into the group mentality.
During elders meetings for sexual abuse cases there have been many stories where the child was forced to sit in front of their abuser and listen to him deny the abuse. For elders whose main job is to make sure the org's reputation stays clean it is just too easy to accept the word of the accused and call the victim a liar. In this instance confession or lack of confession is all that is required for the elders to discount the word of the victim. It actually works opposite to the way it should work to the detriment of the children who may be prey to the abuser.
Sacred Science
A totalistic group believes that they alone have the only true ideology. Questioning or criticizing the group is the equivalent of questioning God - an absolute sin. It is only the leaders of the group who can interpret the group ideology. For many members there is a sense of security in this because they do not need to think for themselves about the validity of the beliefs. They can simply allow others to do the thinking and they just accept.
Once a person has been declared "innocent" by the elders questioning the decision, goes against the structure of the group. Criticizing the decision has led to many threats of discipline for the victims and their families. The leaders (in this case the elders) make a decision and it MUST BE OBEYED. Other JWs who may know a bit of the story close their eyes and follow the example of the elders even to the point of walking into a court room and supporting the accused.
Doctrine over Person.
Group ideology ALWAYS takes precedence over the individual. If a person questions the group ideology then the person is made to feel like there is something wrong with them. It is always turned around so that the individual is wrong and they are made to feel guilty.
Clearly in cases of sexual abuse the group ideology takes first place here. The victim's needs are not important. The org will always come first.
Dispensing of Existence
According to totalistic groups they have the right to decide who belongs and who doesn't Those who belong will be saved or honored; those that don't are condemned. This instills fear that if one leaves the group one is doomed.
It is fascinating that the org chooses to keep the abusers in the org and if necessary toss the victim, labeling them as a slanderer, causing divisions, disobedient. . . They decide who stays and who goes. It is a pretty effective tool at keeping the victims and their families quiet. And if they decide to leave the org then that is just one less problem for the elders to deal with.
Loading the Language
Most of these groups develop a special use of words that is exclusive to the members. Outsiders would not know what these words meant. Using the words will help members identify other members. A second purpose of special words is to segregate members from non-members. If people do not understand how words are being used it is difficult to communicate. A third purpose of this special language is to stop the thinking process. By using these words or sayings the individual does not need to consider a point. It constricts the language which in turn constricts thought, therefore making it easier for the group to maintain control.
I was thinking that this didn't apply but on second thought I think it does.
Those words - disobedient, slanderer, liar, causing divisions. Those are pretty heavy words to lay on a child who has already been sexually abused. These words are used as threats to silence victims. They are often enough to stop anyone from asking what happened - from getting the facts. Loaded language can do a lot to instill fear in people.
Let's not forget "wait on Jehovah" to deal with things. That effectively shuts most JWs up
Wow I thought only one or two but am boggled