by FreeFallin 4 Replies latest jw friends
I watched Connie Chung last nite with a non-witness friend. She suggested that the reason the abuse is covered up and brushed aside is because it largely involves girls who are molested.
I know the Society is homophobic, so there would be very little male to male contact. Since little girls can't grow up to be elders, and are second class citizens in the org, could this be a possibility?
I told her I would ask you guys for an answer. Thank you.
FreeFallin
Personally, I feel it is more because they want others to think they are better, a group that doesn't have human problems. What they fail to realize, is that the more they lie and try to cover up, the more victims are coming forward and the dirtier they look.
That's the way I see it.
Lew W
FreeFallin,
I would not be surprised if the answer to that question is YES!
Look at other sexist societies in Third World Countries as well as Highly Developed Countries (Japan for instance) regardless of religion, culture and creed. In most of these countries, if not all, the woman has no say. Pretty despicable and sickening if you ask me.
Regards,
Ajax
Research in the US shows that 75% of the children reported molested are female. Females are victimized in so many ways in the community, that they make the perfect targets for pedophiles. Females are trained to be obedient and are rewarded for that obedience; boys are allowed to be more assertive and their bad behavior is not punished as much or as severely. Boys will be boys.
There may be more boys affected than the statistics show because boys are less likely to report being molested. If molested by a man, boys are afraid to come forward because they think they will be perceived as being homosexual and/or weak. Boys are not trained to ask for help but to figure it out themselves or tough it out.
This information applies to all groups, JWs included.
Because of the entrenched homophobia in society, instances of abuse that involve boys typically are perceived as being more horrifying--and they get more attention. Even among the Catholics, some experts believe that 4 to 6 times as many girls have been abused as boys. This is not to minimize the trauma that boys endure--I'm only pointing out that the "homosexual" connotation associated with abuse of boys seems to trigger a homophobic reaction in most people. What this does do is minimize the severity of the trauma that female victims endure. There are several articles on the SNAP (Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests) websites that address this issue. Check out www.survivorsnetwork.org for more information.
David Clohessey, founder of SNAP, has pointed out that we tend to hear more about boys being molested for three reasons. First, men tend to direct their anger outward (such as by filing lawsuits), while women tend to direct their inward (avoiding public attention). Second, women are more likely to deal with pain privately, by attending therapy sessions or support groups. Third, Clohessey notes that "male/male sex is more salacious and therefore attracts the attention of the Jerry Springers."
Jankyn
