http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2002/09/06/ke090602s271650.htm |
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silentlambs March Press Coverage
by silentlambs 15 Replies latest jw friends
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silentlambs
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silentlambs
, Pacific
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=134530329&zsection_id=268448406&slug=jehovah06m&date=20020906
'Silentlambs' speak out about sex abuse
By Christine Clarridge Seattle Times staff reporter
Several former Jehovah's Witnesses stood outside a Kingdom Hall church near yesterday with a tiny toy lamb whose mouth was covered with black electrician's tape.
The symbolically silenced lamb delivered to the door of the fellowship hall represented the 5,000 members of the 6 million-member church who claim to have been sexually abused by leaders or others in the church. They further claim to have been silenced or ignored when they sought the church's guidance and protection.
The news conference was one of about 16 across the country called to bring attention to "silentlambs," an organization planning a march on church headquarters in on Sept. 27.
Started by a former church member who said he was dismayed by the way the church covered up allegations of abuse, silentlambs is calling for changes in church policies.
"We want to open the doors, " said Bruce Baker, a former Jehovah's Witness leader in . "We want Watchtower headquarters to turn cases of abuse within the church over to the police and let the police handle it.''
National church leaders could not be reached for comment, but a spokesman recently told The New York Times that the church's policies on sexual abuse were based on the Bible and were exemplary.
"We're not trying to say we handled everybody in the right way and our elders are all-knowing, all-perfect. But we say, if you take what our policy is for keeping our organization clean morally, it far outpaces anybody else's," spokesman J.R. Brown said.
Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that emphasizes biblical literalism and the imminent end of the world. Members are best-known in the secular world for giving out religious tracts and for not celebrating holidays and birthdays or allowing blood transfusions.
Former members said the church's policies and culture conspire to conceal abuse.
The small group of activists in included several ex-church members who have been "disfellowshipped" or excommunicated, as well as one woman who claimed the church did nothing to protect her and her sister when they came forward with claims of abuse.
She said she went to her church leaders to ask for help because her stepfather, who had also sexually abused her, was abusing her younger sister.
Her stepfather, who has since been disfellowshipped by the church, never paid a legal price for what she said were years of abuse.
The scope of abuse within the denomination is a matter of debate. The church has recently been sued by eight people in four lawsuits around the country including one filed in alleging abuse.
According to Bill Bowen, founder of silentlambs, there have been more than 5,000 current or former members nationwide who say that the church mishandled allegations of child sexual abuse.
Christine Clarridge: 206-464-8983 or [email protected] .
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silentlambs
Seattle, WA
New Allegations Of A Church Keeping Quiet About Child Sexual Abuse
By Tracy Vedder
http://www.komotv.com/stories/20208.htm
- There are new allegations of a Church keeping quiet about child sexual abuse. But this time, it's a different church -- the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Members from and across the country are beginning a campaign to put pressure on Church elders to change.
They call themselves silent lambs -- Jehovah's Witnesses who say they were sexually molested and then forced by Church elders to keep silent.
"Both my sister and I were abused by my stepfather," says Betty, who only wants us to use her first name.
Jehovah's Witnesses require two witnesses to any alleged crime or sin. So as a child, Betty never told anyone. She kept quiet until she found out her little sister was also being molested.
"I knew that if I didn't speak up, nobody was going to help her," says Betty. "I kept having nightmares that she was being molested and I couldn't move, I couldn't help her so I had to do something."
But Betty says when she told church elders she was going to the police, they forced her to stay silent. Although that incident took place in another state, she says now that she is talking about it here in western , she will be kicked out and shunned by her friends and family.
"And it hurts," sobs Betty, "because I really believed in it."
Members of the Ravenna Kingdom Hall, where members of Silent Lambs gathered to protest, did not return phone calls. The Jehovah's Witnesses' headquarters says it is reviewing the situation. A spokesman referred us to their Web site, which says it is a victim's right to report abuse to police.
But former elder Bruce Baker says church attorneys pressured him not to report child molestation. He is now part of a national movement trying to force Jehovah's Witnesses to change.
"They basically, in a sense, have protected pedophiles within the group," says Baker. He says Jehovah's Witnesses simply excommunicate members who have molested, rather than turning them over to police and, he says, "they continue to molest children. They should have been reported years ago and they weren't."
The Silent Lambs group hopes Jehovah's Witnesses will take a lesson from the Catholic Church and deal with the issue of sexual abuse openly.
Silent Lambs announced plans Thursday for a nationwide march on Jehovah's Witnesses headquarters to protest policies on child rape cases. The march is scheduled for Sept. 27 in Brooklyn, NY .
Nashville, TN
WKRN.COM Home
http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp?S=924294&nav=1ugBB5Z1
Sexual Abuse Allegations Within Jehovah's Witness Denomination
Reporter: Wisdom Martin
There are new allegations that a religious denomination is turning a blind eye to sexual abuse. This time, it is the Jehovah's Witnesses who stand accused.
"For me, it took away any concept of trust in religious figures, authority figures, and parental figures."
The woman who spoke to News 2 does not wish to be identified. She is a former Jehovah's Witness who claims she was abused when she was just 8-years-old by a congregation member. But when she spoke out, she said nothing was done. The women said she was also abused by a member of her congregation.
"They act like they are the law, they can take care of it. Something like this, it's abuse, and they shouldn't be the ones taking care of it."
Now, women like Barbara Anderson are ready to fight for change in thei eligion, so they've formed a victim's rights group called Silent Lambs. They believe the Jehovah's Witness sexual abuse polices are inadequate and harm children.
"We believe they are responsible for policies that make it possible for perverted people to come into this organization to get at Jehovah's witness children," Barbara said.
"We should of all persons, being Christians going by the bible, we should do the right thing for these abuse victims," said Joe Anderson.
Joe Anderson was a Jehovah's Witness elder for over 50 years.
"In the organization, you have to have two witnesses, and of course it's almost impossible to have two witnesses to a child molestation. So if a parent comes with their daughter to the elder, they ask and he says, no, I didn't do it, then that's the end of the matter."
"I would like to see them recognize it, take it to the civil authorities and professionals that are capable and qualified to help the victims."
News 2 contacted the Jehovah's Witness national office in , but they did not return our calls. The Silent Lambs organization will hold a march to bring awareness to their cause September 27th in Brooklyn, NY .
News 2 at 5
09.05.02
Nashville, TN
http://www.wsmv.com/Global/story.asp?S=923786&nav=1TcRB5AO
Former church members march in protest
Email story to a friend
People say they were molested as a child by a Jehovah's Witness
Sex and religion make for a potent mix. And Thursday, some Jehovah's Witnesses are being targeted by former members about charges of child sexual abuse. They claim elders are covering it up. The worst part is that women say it's been going on for years.
The best part is that it is now public, and they have hope that the problem may be addressed publicly by Jehovah's Witnesses. At the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in , former member Barbara Anderson left a small stuffed lamb. It's her symbol of innocence lost. As a writer for the organization in , says she discovered multiple charges of sexual abuse being hushed up.
"They're kind of isolated in their ivory tower and they do believe that all the world is controlled by Satan, that theirs is God's organization. They can make the rules," said Barbara Anderson.
Nationwide Thursday in 16 major cities, demonstrations like this called for change within the religious organization.
"It was from another member who was there," said "Lisa", who was abused when she was young.
Lisa, not he eal name, says as a 9-year-old child she was molested by a Jehovah's Witness. Despite telling the church - no one within the organization reported it to police.
"Now that you're an adult, Lisa, what would you like to say to your attacker?" asked Channel 4 Reporter James Lewis.
"I really feel sorry for him because as an adult I feel sorry that he has went through them because of his own way of trying to cover it up," said "Lisa".
Former member Joe Anderson grieves for his former friends, but he sees hope that recent exposures will correct some wrongs.
"Something is going to be done about it. And something has been done about it to a certain degree. But certainly more needs to be done but yeah I am happy to see them coming out with this," said Joe Anderson.
Channel 4 News attempted to contact the presiding elders at the Jehovah's Witnesses, but none of them returned our calls.
For more information about this cause, visit the Silent Lambs web site.
Tucson, AZ
WE'VE BEEN HEARING THE PAST FEW MONTHS ABOUT CONCERNS OVER COVER-UPS OF CHILD MOLESTATION IN THE .
TODAY, MEMBERS OF ANOTHER RELIGION ARE COMING FORWARD WITH SIMILAR ALLEGATIONS. THEY TALKED TO US DURING A DEMONSTRATION AT ONE OF SEVERAL JEHOVAH'S WITNESS KINGDOM HALLS NATIONWIDE
KINDRA HAS BEEN A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS FOR DECADES. SHE SAYS AS A CHILD, A FAMILY MEMBER MOLESTED HER. SHE TOLD HER PARENTS, AND HER PARENTS WENT TO THE ELDERS AT THEIR KINGDOM HALL. SHE SAYS JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARE TOLD NOT TO GO TO THE POLICE WITH ACCUSATIONS AGAINST A FELLOW MEMBER.
i was told not to do that i was supposed to leave it in the elders hands that they would pray and they did prayer when i was there and that jehovah would take care of it , and it kept happening, so as a child you only do what you're told.
TODAY, KINDRA AND ANOTHER JEHOVAH'S WITNESS CAME TO THE KINGDOM HALL AT 29TH AND ROSEMONT TO DELIVER A SYMBOLIC LAMB - REPRESENTING THE MANY CHILDREN THEY SAY ARE SILENCED BY JEHOVAH'S WITNESS POLICY. THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN NEARLY A DOZEN CITIES NATIONWIDE.
i have nothing against the religion - i still want to attend. i want to do this for the children and change policies so that someone doesn't have to go through what i went through.
JOHN BROWN SAYS THE RELIGION FORBIDS PUNISHMENT OF AN ACCUSED MOLESTER WHO DENIES ALLEGATIONS UNLESS THERE IS ANOTHER EYEWITNESS TO THE ABUSE.
but there never is unless somebody walks in on accident, a parent, while the perpetrator is committing the act.
THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS REPRESENTATIVES WE TALKED TO DID NOT WANT TO GO ON CAMERA. BUT ONE TOLD US THE ALLEGATIONS ARE RIDICULOUS. HE SAYS JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARE ONE OF THE MOST LAW-ABIDING GROUPS IN THE WORLD. HE ALSO MAINTAINS THEY DO NOT HAVE A POLICY OF SILENCING VICTIMS.
KINDRA AND JOHN TELL US THEY CAN BE DISFELLOWSHIPPED, WHICH IS LIKE BEING EXCOMMUNICATED, FOR SPEAKING OUT - BUT THEY THINK IT'S WORTH IT. THEY ANNOUNCED A MARCH FOR VICTIMS, COMING UP SEPTEMBER 27TH IN BROOKLYN, NY, WHERE THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS HEADQUARTERS IS LOCATED.
Edited by - silentlambs on 6 September 2002 10:51:54
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obiwan
This will make them squirm just a little.
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imanaliento
GOOD JOB, this was the catalyst in why I left. I support you monetarily and you are in my prayers.
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Nanoprobe
I remember doing research on the McCarthy Era atrocities and discovering that at a time when fear gripped the nation one newspaper, the Louisville Courier-Journal, reported that: "In this long, degrading travesty of the democratic process McCarthy has shown himself to be evil and unmatched in malice."
It's good to have the Louisville Courier Journal with us today
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abbagail
Thanks for these two TV reports. I hadn't seen the coverage of these yet!
I guess FOX let us down in Orlando. Thru their entire one-hour 10 pm news last night, not one mention of the press conference. :-(
Grits
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Dia
Just bumping this up.
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silentlambs
Jehovahs Witnesses speak out
SILENCE: Members want changes in the way the sect handles molestation claims.
KEVIN PORTER THE NEWS HERALD
http://olive.flacoast.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:ArticleToMail&Type=text/html&Path=NHerald/2002/09/07&ID=Ar01704
A Bay County Jehovahs Witness has joined a growing number of the religious groups members across the nation who are speaking out against the way it handles allegations of child molestation.
By doing so, Steve Imhof, 54, most likely will be disfellowshipped, which means he wont be able to talk to family members and friends again. If Imhof violates that, church policies call for excommunication, too.
"We have a great love for the organization of Jehovahs Witnesses. We are saddened that we are forced to stand here due to the stubborn actions of prideful men who lead this church," Imhof said on Friday after being kicked off the premises of the Kingdom Hall on 19 th Street in Panama City. "The Jehovahs Witness leadership must change their policy and must apologize to the victims whose lives their policies have destroyed."
A 38-year member of the tightknit group, Imhof says he is concerned because child-sex allegations are generally not reported to the police. Furthermore, he said victims are not allowed to seek counseling.
Rather, he said, they are dealt with internally. Imhof said its because of the beliefs closed nature and its insistence on handling problems internally.
"I have had seven children cry on my shoulder," he said.
However, a spokesman for the Jehovahs Witnesses home base in New York said leaders, called elders, are not encouraged to condone molestation.
"People have absolutely every right to go to the authorities," said J.R. Brown, director of public information. "We are sorry about people feeling overlooked and certainly for the victims."
Jehovahs Witnesses are a reli- gious sect that shuns the outside world in many respects. They refuse to bear arms, salute the flag or participate in secular government.
Imhof said church elders hear sex-abuse allegations. He said if the accuser denies the allegations, little more can be done in a judicial way. Congregations will continue to view the one accused as innocent.
For the allegations to be heard, he said, it takes two eyewitnesses.
"How often do children being raped have people standing by watching?" Imhof asked.
He said there are many similarities between the crisis in the Catholic Church and the one he sees amongst Jehovahs Witnesses. However, Imhof says there is one major difference: Catholics are seeking to correct their mistakes.
On Sept. 27, Imhof and other angry Jehovahs Witnesses will partake in a march through New York that will end at the front door of the home office of the Jehovahs Witnesses in Brooklyn. The purpose is to put pressure on the organization to change its policies. Many of the marchers belong to a group called the Silent Lamb Organization and have been leaving symbolic lambs at Kingdom Halls across the country, representing victims who they believe were unfairly silenced.
Steve Imhof had a white lamb doll in his pocket Friday, and tried to leave it at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witness on 19 th Street. The Silent Lamb Organization uses the symbol to represent victims they believe are unfairly silenced.
News Herald Photos: Terry Barner Steve Imhof has spoken out against what he says is a cover-up of sexual abuse of children by Jehovahs Witnesses. Imhof says he will be cast out of the group for speaking out. -
Joyzabel
That's a great article. I'm glad the reporters noticed the "loving" treatment S. Imhof got in front of the kh "after being kicked off the premises of the Kingdom Hall on 19 th Street in Panama City."
Now as far as the pic goes, is it me (lack of sleep due to working last night) or is that first pic of the lamb in the pocket hard to figure out at first??? hehe
Great coverage. Good work Steve Imhof
j2bf
ps, to add the thumbs up. now if only I can figure out how to rate this thread! doh!
Edited by - joy2bfree on 7 September 2002 13:38:0