Thank you for that article!
I think there were a number of factors that weighed into it, but I would be suprised if they considered the molestation issue as a factor at the book studies.
1) They still seem very reluctant to admit there is a problem- articles like this still come up all the time, and yet the organziation says that they have addressed the problem - yeah right
2) You cant get people to open up their homes hardly anymore
3) The elders and MS are getting so burned out that they are losing men left and right
4) Those pieces of filth usually do it when no adults are around
As the article alluded to - In my experience, those dirtbags were very subtle on building relationships with the kids and their families , and then striking when the opportunity came up. We had the "grandfatherly" elder who had the kids in service, or over to his pool and taught them how to swim - with the little girls though, he liked to fondle them as well. Then we had the guy who was like an "Uncle" to some of the kids who would end up watching them or picking them up for movies, shopping, etc after a a day in service, WT study at a home....then he did his thing.
People in the JW community tend to be way too trusting and assume that a brother or sister would never do that. We all know that is a load of garbage - I think it attracts those type of individuals, or if they were "born-ins" it gives them a fertile ground to behave that way.
I noticed this from the article:
He used the "cloak of religious activities" to abuse some of the girls, in doing so betraying the responsibility placed in him as an elder in the community.
John Nixon representing O'Brien told the court he was ashamed and remorseful.
As a result "his marriage has disappeared and he has been stripped of many possessions, being made bankrupt".
He got off LIGHT.....too bad he didnt get wiped out of the gene pool.