My Story Of Abuse

Jacinta

I'm new to this board and just wanted to share my story with everyone here. I used to live in Arizona. I was very shy and quiet when I was younger. My mom decided to send me to the Jehovah's Witness school since she thought I would fit in better there. I didn't. It was a very small school and I was made fun of. I suffered through 9th grade and told my mom I wanted to go to a public school for 10th grade. She said ok and decided to withdraw me from the JW school. But the principle talked her out of it. He said I wouldn't last in a public school. I was too shy, blah, blah, blah. So I had to stay there. The principal's wife (also the 4th grade teacher) befriended me and started to drive me to school and home again. A few months later, I started babysitting for them and started spending the night. Then the sexual abuse started. It lasted for 5 years. I was 15 when it started. When I finally had the guts to tell my mom she went to my elders. They, in turn, went to this couple's elders. By the way, this couple's names are: Bill or William E. Cook, and Alice Linda Cook. They admitted to everything I claimed happened. Anyway, I was told I shouldn't report this to the authorities because it might bring reproach upon Jehovah's organization. So I never pressed charges. Guess what the Cook's got for molesting me for 5 years??? They got put on PRIVATE REPROOF! That is it. Set free to do it again. Now, I am trying to locate them. I am looking into pressing any charges I can. I just pray they haven't done this to any other child. If you know of anyone who lives in Arizona,especially the Glendale area, please warn them of this couple. I don't know if they are still living there. They may have moved back to New York where they originally resided. And if you have any ideas on how to locate them or any rights I have since it has been about 10 years now since the abuse stopped, please email me. Thanks.

SYN

To all the Dubs currently reading this: EXPLAIN, PLEASE! How the fsck are these the actions of a "Loving God"?
Jacinta: Thanks for that. Every post like this is another nail in the coffin of the TOWER!

"If men were like their personal ads, they wouldn't need personal ads."

outnfree

((((Jacinta))))

I'm sorry to hear your story, but wanted to welcome you to the Board.
I have never heard of these awful people, but are you still in the organization? Perhaps their former elders would tell your elders where they moved so you could begin proceedings? If nothing else, this would test the Society's claim that they neither encourage nor discourage reporting to authorities.

Church attorney [Mario] Moreno said church members know they can go to the authorities on a matter of abuse. "They haven't committed a sin by turning in a Jehovah's Witness to the authorities," he said. "It's a very personal decision."

I can't remember if Arizona is a clergy reporting state or not. If it is, you might use that fact (if the reporting mandate goes back far enough) to pressure the elders into revealing the Cooks' whereabouts.

Good luck, Jacinta!

outnfree

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts -- John Wooden

Gopher

Jacinta,

Welcome to the board. Your story is far too common, at least for those regular readers of this board. Of course, the JW's would try to minimize your experience. Anyone who tries to minimize horrible experiences at the hands of wolves in sheep's clothing is almost as bad as the abuser! (I view the elders who merely put your abusers on public reproof as being in this category.)

I hope you get your justice. It will be difficult, though, because of how common the name "William Cook" is along with your uncertainty as to his location. I did see a name with the same middle initial in Mesa, Arizona, which is a short ways from Glendale. But again, since the name is so common -- it's hard to tell.

It seems like you have more of your life story (and how it was affected by JW's) to tell. Please feel free to share it. Welcome to the board, hope you enjoy it. (You have a lovely name.)

-J.R.

This post was not evaluated by any mental health professionals.
Any opinions expressed are those of a fuzzy, cuddly rodent.

out4good3

When the news broke about the sexual scandal within the WT my JW relatives did just what I expected them to do. They resorted to character assasination of the accusers and then started spouting out JW propaganda.

I think experiences like yours are more typical of what the WT is about.

wasasister

I am so terribly sorry for what you suffered. I hope you find the peace and justice you deserve.

By the way, I was hoping you could help me out with one part of your account. I have never, in all my 30+ years as a Dub, heard of a JW school. Where was that? And was it a prototype of some kind?

Your sister, Wasasister

Nathan Natas

Jacinta,

Please clarify something for me. When you say,"My mom decided to send me to the Jehovah's Witness school...", what kind of school are you talking about?

To the best of my knowledge, Jehovah's Witnesses do not operate schools. I believe that if they did, they would not invite non-believers to participate.

This "strange" detail of your story makes me doubt the whole of it.

You may also want to consider editing your message to remove the names of the people you've identified.

ZazuWitts

Hello All,

I just want to relate that I have heard of JW schools. At one time there were several in Pennsylvania, another in Long Island, NY. And, more importantly I recall my own mother mentioning that they had started one in Arizona.

Whether or not these schools are still operating, I simply don't know.

Jacinta, my mother and stepfather were in the Glendale Congregation. If you e-mail me with the years you are speaking of, I will provide their names, if the years match-up with the
time-frame that all of you were there.

My mother passed away, and my stepdad is now remarried and has left Arizona.
For many years we did not speak, but he has been quite ill recently, and we have at least been communicating a bit.

It might be possible for me to mention your molesters, in a round-about way, to see if they are among the people he still keeps in touch with.

Welcome to the forum.

safe4kids

Jacinta,

I too am sorry to hear of your experiences. Unfortunately, they are only too common amongst those who are/were in the borg. I'm glad you felt comfortable sharing your story with us and I hope that you are able to do whatever it takes to heal.

Hey Nathan, chill a little, k? I've heard of schools like that, although I don't recall any being in my area. As for the names of the abusers, I have no problem with public identification of bastards that prey on children. Unless there is some legal reason for not stating their names? Just curious.

Dana

P.S. Wasasister, good to see you again

individuals wife

Jacinta,

Every time I read another account such as yours it fills me with such sadness that yet another innocent childhood has been tainted by those who profess to be Christians and hide their evil acts behind the skirts of their protective organisation. I really hope that you will find some comfort amongst those who post here and find some peace at last in your life. You deserve to find some happiness and give yourself the chance to move forward, you will never forget the things that have happened to you but I sincerely hope that you find a way to overcome the pain and not let it ruin the rest of your life.

Best regards

Ps. I too have heard of the JW schools by the way!

My Story Of Abuse

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