Ugh, they are such liars. In the first month of my marriage my witness husband beat and choked me. I went to the elders and they formed a committee. During the committee I mentioned how I was afraid of my spouse and wanted to leave. They told me that I would not prosper spiritually as I would be breaking up the family and 'Jehovah hates a divorcing.' I went to the elders many times because my father said I should go to show a pattern and eventually they would disfellowship my husband. After meeting with committees several times within the first 6 months of marriage, I told the elders that the next time I would call the police for protection. They responded, "that is not how we handle things in Jehovah's organization." They quoted the scripture about brothers going to court with other brothers and said I would bring reproach upon the organization and I was the one who would be disciplined. They said, "Jehovah's organization is a theocracy, not a democracy." They said the holy spirit would leave me and I would fall away. This was scary stuff for a newly baptized person. When my mother was a witness they told her that even if my father asked her to sit in a puddle out in the rain, she must do it so as to be in subjection. That was when she promptly disassociated herself. Do not be fooled, those elders encourage silence as anything else will bring reproach upon the organization. It sickens me to hear these elders say anything to the contrary.