NEWS RELEASE
The upcoming September 9, 2002 Child Abuse Civil Court Trial of Victoria Boer v. the Canadian Jehovahs Witnesses Organization 10:00 AM, Courtroom 4-4, 361 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario as reported in the September 1, 2002 edition of The Toronto Sun
Silentlambs Inc. (www.silentlambs.org) accuses the Jehovahs Witnesses (JWs) organization of fostering an environment for child rape, ignoring abuse survivors, protecting child molesters and expelling Jehovahs Witnesses who have tried to support the victims and alert the public
Contacts
Silentlambs - William H. Bowen ###-###-###, cell ###-###-####
Advocates - Barb and Joe Anderson ###-###-####, Alan Feuerbacher ###-###-#### or ###-###-####
Can. Victims -Lxx Mxxxx ###-###-####, Rxxxx Dxxxxx ###-###-####, Dxxxxx Dxxxxxx ###-###-####
Counsel - Charles Mark 416-869-0929
Why is Vicki Boer Suing?
Ms. Boer alleges that the JW policies and practices dealing with the investigation and reporting of child abuse harmed her.
How has the JW Leadership Rationalized This?
The Canadian Jehovahs Witnesses organization, the Watchtower, claims that it is concerned about the spiritual well being of the abusers, that it cares about children and does not condone or take a soft view of child sexual abuse. In 1988, the Canadian branch of the Church ordered its elders to comply with Canadas child abuse reporting laws (The Toronto Sun - September 1, 2002).
What is Silentlambs and What Has It Uncovered?
Silentlambs Inc., an advocacy group for Jehovahs Witnesses child sexual abuse victims founded by former JW Elder William H. Bowen in 2001, disputes the Churchs claims for the following reasons:
1 Elders Required Interrogation of Children
As correctly shown in the September 1, 2002 edition of The Toronto Sun (page 29), child rape victims must provide repugnant and embarrassing details about the abuse in interrogation sessions conducted by untrained Church elders. Sessions occur in the presence of the alleged abuser and elders refuse to permit the presence of any support persons for the victim. Church doctrine strongly discourages the professional mental help victims need. The results can scar little children for life and cause difficulty for legitimate police investigations.
2 - Failure to Report Sexual Abuse to Authorities without delay
Church Policy does not require baptized Jehovahs Witnesses, who are considered by the Church to be ordained ministers, to forthwith report suspected abuse even though the law (s. 72 of Ontarios Child and Family Act) says to. Church policy dictates that only elders report abuse.
Church Policy does not explain that JW parents must forthwith report abuse to the authorities as required under the law. Instead parents are taught to report the abuse to Church elders. Before February 2002, parents could have been subject to severe church discipline for going to the authorities with an abuse case (The Watchtower, November 15, 1973, page 703).
Church policy suggests in many cases that elders NOT report the abuse in jurisdictions where there are NO mandatory clergy reporting laws. There are presently 34 such states in the USA.
Delay or not properly reporting abuse apparently violates the forthwith intent found in Ontario law. The result could allow further abuse and the destruction of valuable evidence.
3 - Failure of Churchs Two Witness Rule
To be sanctioned by the Church, policy requires two witnesses to confirm that a sexual assault occurred. A pedophile does not usually have witnesses watching him while he commits his obscene act. If a child makes an accusation of molestation against an adult member of the Church, the alleged molester can deny the charges and Church officials will almost always drop the matter, even if there are other victims with corroborating incidents against the same individual. Unless convicted by the Church, the Watchtower supports the abuser even if he is convicted in Court, forces victims into silence and will not alert other members of the congregation of the danger. Any discussion with other members of a matter not established by Church elders can be considered slander with a possible penalty of expulsion and shunning by family/friends.
4 - Excommunication of Advocates
As documented in the August 11, 2002 New York Times, numerous advocates have recently been expelled by the Church and shunned by family/friends for discussing the issues in public. Barbara Anderson and Bill Bowen are the most recent JWs advocates feeling the wrath of the Church. By contrast, during scandals within the Catholic system, victim advocates remained valid members.
5 - Public at Risk
It is a requirement of the Church that convicted/accused JW child rapists evangelize to an unsuspecting public at their front doors and in their homes without the public's knowledge. The Watchtower suggests that another member will accompany a rapist in public. But, they will not disclose that the member is not trained to deal with such a sick person or be informed as to why the person must be accompanied at all times in the field. Nor will they disclose that the accompaniment policy is only for pedophiles convicted by the Church not those convicted by a Court. There is nothing in the policy that prevents an abuser from going door to door alone. The goal of the leadership is to make sure that all 110,000 Canadian Jehovahs Witnesses knock on all Canadian homes and evangelize to all 30 million Canadians once or twice a year. Wouldnt you want to know if a child rapist is using his freedom of religion to come knocking on your front door?
6 - Congregations at Risk
Pedophiles who have been convicted by the Church are supposedly not allowed to have positions of authority until twenty years have passed. But those not convicted by the Church itself (even though the Court may have convicted them) are allowed privilege in the congregation and trust with children. Only pedophiles convicted internally by the Church are monitored as they move from congregation to congregation. However, in these cases untrained Church elders do the monitoring, without informing members of the danger these individuals - whom the Watchtower Society acknowledges may be notorious repeat offenders - pose to their innocent children. Church elders will know of an alleged child molesters history and can take steps to protect their own children, but will not extend that same protection to other children in their congregation by informing parents of the dangerous presence of a child rapist.
7 Churchs Shunning Doctrine
Expelled (disfellowshiped) members are labeled apostates, must be shunned by family/friends and will die at the upcoming Armageddon according to Church doctrine (Our Kingdom Ministry, August 2002, pages 3 and 4). Any other corporation/government except for a voluntary religious group would be in apparent violation of the Human Rights Code for creed discrimination. The leadership teaches this tactic and suggests it is a loving tool to keep the congregation clean. Instead the tactic rips families apart and instills fear in members to stay silent about sexual abuse and other issues.
8 - Private Database
The leadership maintains a child rapist database. The Silentlambs Internet site states that 23,720 names are on the list from Canada, USA and Europe. The Watchtower admits to the list but suggests the number is lower without giving exact numbers. How many of these cases have been reported to law enforcement in Ontario and other jurisdictions? How many are walking Ontario's streets and knocking on our doors? This database should be shared with the authorities in the USA, Canada and Europe.
Who are the Jehovahs Witnesses?
The JWs are a closed Christian group with 6 million members (110,000 in Canada). Founded in the 1870s by Charles Russell, Jehovahs Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays. They believe Armageddon is imminent and only they will survive. They will not swear allegiance to any organization or nation.
Based in its New York headquarters, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. is the Jehovahs Witnesses main corporation. Doctrine created by its Governing Body is published in magazines called The Watchtower, Awake! and Our Kingdom Ministry. Jehovahs Witnesses make it a goal to contact every citizen of Canada at least once a year. Unlike the Catholic Churchs 2002 mea culpa, the Watchtower refuses even to acknowledge that there are problems with its sexual abuse policies.
Silentlambs Inc. September 6, 2002