This makes me sick inside.
Victoria, Australia: The long edition (new) of Part 2 of Steven Unthank's report of molestation/rape within the Traralgon Cong.
by AndersonsInfo 79 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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Violia
Their one and only goal is to protect the image and finances of the wts. I know that --and not anecdotally.
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Listener
There are some puzzlying things about this story. If Steven reported the alleged rapes to police in August,2011 then what have the police done about it since? That is quite some time ago if a serious crimes have been committed.
Why would Steven Unthank be the one to report these alleged rapes and not the parents and are the parents prepared to back up the claims?
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shepherd
What about the parents?????
If my child was abused I would need to be held back from beating the sh$% out of the abuser. I would certainly go to the police. What's wrong with these people?
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ABibleStudent
Thanks Barbara for posting this information. Is there any way to get news organizations interested in this story? I get so tired of reading headlings about celebraties/reality stars when there is so much else that is going on in the world that needs to be written about.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
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AndersonsInfo
Listener, you said:“There are some things about this story. If Steven reported the alleged rapes to police in August,2011 then what have the police done about it since? That is quite some time ago if a serious crimes have been committed.
Why would Steven Unthank be the one to report these alleged rapes and not the parents and are the parents prepared to back up the claims?”
The article said in the opening that "JW NEWS can report that Victoria Police have launched an investigation..." so therefore it must have not been possible to break the news any earlier. A police investigation can take weeks or months, especially if there are interviews to be conducted and statements to be taken. The police did turn up to the Traralgon Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses on Tuesday, November 29, 2011, and speak to the elders. Probably the investigation started much earlier. Let's hope the elders cooperated in helping to protect the children.
In a previous article published on JW News on December 11, 2011, titled "AUSTRALIA: Crisis of Conscience within the Traralgon Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses? - Part 1" it said that in November the police visited the Traralgon Kingdom Hall and that they also took "a number of “Statements” from parents and members of the Traralgon Congregation in relation to the body of elders actually working with children and having “direct contact” with children allegedly in breach of the Working with Children Act 2005." These statements must have been taken at the police station.
See JWN link for comments on that article http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/child-abuse/219295/1/Crisis-of-Conscience-within-the- Traralgon -Congregation-of-Jehovahs-Witnesses-Part-1
It is quite possible that the police took many statements that week from Jehovah's Witnesses within the Traralgon congregation.
Steven Unthank obviously felt the need to report the molestations to the police in August. At the time he may not have known that the crimes were not reported especially since the WTBTS claim they report these types of crimes. It is also possible that the parents were not strong enough or were scared. This is the time when elders should step up to the plate and help those under their care. Clearly in this case the elders did not. It can be traumatic to go to the police and lodge a complaint. Someone needs to initiate the process.
How many times has anyone ever read a news report or article which said that it was the elders who reported the child abuse to the police and then assisted in the investigation? Not many! No doubt Steven Unthank took this step of reporting the abuses because it was the right thing to do and because the local elders did not.
The WTBTS issued a letter on December 1, 2000, to all BOE's in Australia (Same letter in Britain) instructing them on procedures involving child abuse. The letter is kept in the congregation's permanent file and is still the current instructions. It says that“all in the Christian congregation will want to consider their personal and moral responsibility to alert the appropriate authorities.” This letter also warned all elders that "the elders should not lose sight of the fact that victims urgently need to be protected from further abuse and abusers need to be prevented from finding additional victims.”
Maybe the parents trusted their elders to do the right thing. Sadly, in matters involving child abuse within Jehovah's Witnesses too many people blame the victims or their parents when the elders have also failed. -
yourmomma
wow, this case seems way bigger than I thought. i thought that this was just about the watchtower not complying with the child protection law, and the was the alleged crime. but thats minor, they have actually covered up child rape, and have been caught and are now facing charges. i think the watchtower is in some serious shit.
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Violia
I feel so sad and sick that I was ever a part of this bastardly org that would put its image and finances ahead of children and women and the elderly.
I was once one of those jws children . this song expresses how I feel.
"emancipate yourself from mental slavery, no one but ourselves can free our minds...."
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Azazel
what a powerful song. I'm so sad for the poor little victims and for the victims who have had to grow up with feelings of rejection by the ones(schmelders) who were meant to protect them. Perhaps the wolves in sheeps clothing are now running the show?
Wolves eat goats too.
Az
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finallysomepride
so they think they are above the law.....pricks
the day they get screwed we will all rejoyce
makes me so sad that i was ever assosiated with this corporation
