The following article was printed in todays "Daily Record", for those interested:
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/shtml/NEWS/P13S3.shtml
Another Silentlamb
by LittleToe 20 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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LittleToe
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MadApostate
DAD'S JEHOVAH WITNESSES DID NOTHING TO STOP MY SEX ABUSE NIGHTMARE
Victim's agony claims
A TEENAGE GIRL has told how Jehovah's Witness elders failed to help her nail her pervert father.
Alison Cousins turned to the elders of her family's church after devout dad Ian abused her for three years.
The elders knew Cousins had preyed on another girl. He confessed to them two years earlier but police were not informed.Alison said she was given no help or encouragement to get justice.
She recalled yesterday: "I was scared and confused. I needed courage to go to the police and I spoke to the elders hoping they would back me up.
"Instead, they brushed it under the carpet.
"I got no encouragement to go to the police, even though my dad had already told them what he did to the first girl.
"I will never have any faith at all in Jehovah's Witnesses."
Alison's abuse began when she was only 13 and continued until she was 16.
She went to the elders of the Kingdom Hall in Stevenston, Ayrshire, in November 1999.
Alison, now 18, later found her own strength to report her father. And Cousins, 43, was jailed for five years on Friday for indecent acts involving Alison and two other girls.
One elder admitted yesterday that Cousins told them about his perversion in 1997.
Colin McCreadie said: "We were informed by Ian Cousins what he had done with the first one. But he assured me that he did not do anything after that.
"We did discuss Alison's claims. But we decided we would stand back, we were not sure.
"You don't know a person's heart, you don't know what's in there.
What is the truth?
"I believe Alison was informed by the elders that she should go to the police. I can't recollect who it was."
One former member of the congregation, Paul Wynn, said elders had tried to "whitewash" the issue.
And he told how he quit in disgust at being asked to forgive Ian Cousins.
Mr Wynn, 38, said: "Ian Cousins told elders in 1997 that he had abused the first girl. But no one did anything about it, and because of this the abuse of Alison continued.
"I was told that I was not welcome at the Kingdom Hall unless I could embrace Ian Cousins as my brother.
"I could not even look at him, never mind embrace him, after the disgusting things he did.
"Elders Alex Stewart and Colin McCreadie were told of the two eldest victims but did nothing.
"All that happened was that Cousins was demoted from his rank as a Ministerial Servant, which is in effect a trainee elder."
Alison has waived her legal right to anonymity in the hope of saving other girls from abuse.
Asked about her case, elder Alex Stewart said: "I do not know the outcome of the court case so I cannot comment."
Since the police were told about Ian Cousins in February 2000, a senior Jehovah's Witness has arrived in Stevenston as Presiding Minister.
It's claimed Jonathan Briggs is a "troubleshooter"sent to bring stability back to the congregation.
Mr Briggs told the Record: "It is unfair to ask questions of the individual elders. This is something which needs a response from the church as a whole."At the Jehovah's Witness Watchtower UK headquarters, spokesman Paul Gillies said: "We have strict procedures and guidelines that matters like this should go straight to the secular authorities.
"It is the role of the police to investigate. Our policies put the needs of victims first.
"There is already a new Presiding Minister at Stevenston. And if, as a result of this case, it becomes apparent that elders are in need of further direction, that will happen.
"The victims are in need of love and understanding and that is what we want to offer them."
Police said the Kingdom Hall in Stevenston is not the subject of any investigation.
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sf
Bravo!
MadApostate, start emailing this story to your sources dude. Get it going. The more press, the better. It could be the start of many other SILENTlambs to start breaking THEIR silence. Give Ali a thumbs up in the email while you're there. Just give it a try, at least. Remember, THIS lamb IS able NOW to break the silence. Many are NOT. That is why they are "SILENTlambs". I am not a SILENTlamb either, yet I understand their silence. I am a survivor now. And so is Ali...now that she is no longer silent.
When are you gonna get your butt into yahoo chat?
sKally, emailing the "wire" now, klass
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Mister Biggs
This story is disturbing. So much cover-up and circling of the wagons.
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waiting
I hope this account disturbs a LOT of people. It should!
My congratulations to Alison, the brave girl, who finally realized that the elders were NOT there to protect her. They were there to protect the WTBTS - and that's what they tried to do.
At the Jehovah's Witness Watchtower UK headquarters, spokesman Paul Gillies said: "We have strict procedures and guidelines that matters like this should go straight to the secular authorities.
That is not a worldwide procedure. Why not? Aren't the children in the usa, and other countries, as valuable as UK children?It is the role of the police to investigate. - JW Gillies
The police actually did investigate - congratulations to them also, because that doesn't happen sometimes either.Our policies put the needs of victims first.
That is a debatable comment. At the very least, ALL the elders involved with this whitewashing scandal PROVED to have failed this victim - and the other victims before her. By the elders keeping a molester within the congregation - he molested TWO other children, that are known.Totally failed.
waiting
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sf
"That is a debatable comment. At the very least, ALL the elders involved with this whitewashing scandal PROVED to have failed this victim - and the other victims before her. By the elders keeping a molester within the congregation - he molested TWO other children, that are known.
Totally failed."
Hello waiting,
Perhaps you could start such a debate here on their forums. There is also a chat area in the sites menu.
I emailed this forums thread on the subject already.
sKally, happy trails {{{{alison}}}}} {{{{madapostate}}}}}
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MadApostate
SF:
Your support for "right" over the past few days has been noted and is appreciated.
Chat isn't something I particularly enjoy, but if you will link te page, I'll check it out sometime when I can slip in unnoticed.
PS: I have a pdf file you might be interested in, but are you still having problems opening such???
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sf
waiting,
I went ahead and started a disc using Mad's header:
"DAD'S JEHOVAH WITNESSES DID NOTHING TO STOP MY SEX ABUSE NIGHTMARE"
I added this site and Mr.Bowens site to the post. In fact, that's all the post contains.
I'm waiting for the webmaster to "approve" the topic. When it's up, I'll bring the url over to watch how it goes.
sKally
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sf
MadAss, (hahaha, hope you don't mind...i've dubbed you such in my mind)
Simply download yahoo messenger...install it....YOU MAY HAVE TO REBOOT ENTIRELY AFTER INSTALLATION...everytime now, after you log into your computer, yahoo mess pops up on screen first thing. Go up to the "add" box...type in "wturls" and follow the windows instructions. It will tell me you want to ADD me to your friends list. I in turn, will see you and do the same with your yahoo handle name. I WILL KEEP THIS TO MYSELF ONLY. I will never reveal who you are there. I am very skilled at discretion. You may put me to the test at any time, if you wish.
Please give nelly the pdf files, she in turn will e them to me...if that's ok with you...and she. Or I will get them from you in yahoo when nelly is there and we will open them up there. I want to see anything related to this org.
Thanks, sKally