by hawkaw 18 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
Here is the Globe and Mail's article
Man we really got in all the papers folks except for the Toronto Star. They kinda had a logistic problem.
Anyway to read the Globe's story on page A18 cut, paste and connect the below url
http://www.globeandmail.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/PEstory/TGAM/20020910/UJEHOOQ/national/
national/nationalTorontoHeadline_temp/3/3/4/
hawk
Church made her cover up sexual abuse, woman says
| |||||||
Edited by - hawkaw on 10 September 2002 8:48:44
Church made her cover up sexual abuse, woman says
By JANE GADD
COURTS REPORTER
Tuesday, September 10, 2002 Page A18
A former Jehovah's Witness who says her church forced her to cover up years of sexual abuse by her father told Ontario Superior Court yesterday that church elders use the fear of Armageddon to silence her and other abuse victims.
Victoria Boer, 31, testifying at the trial of her $700,000 lawsuit against the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, said she was driven to the brink of suicide when society elders told her to pray, to preach and to forgive her father for the abuse -- but not to report it to the Children's Aid Society or doctors.
"I was told if Armageddon came and my father went down for the abuse I would likely go down with him," Ms. Boer told the court.
In fact, the entire Jehovah's Witness community where she lived in Shelburne, Ont., could be exposed to God's wrath if she handled the matter by "worldly" means, Ms. Boer said she was told.
The defendants -- the Watchtower Society and elders Brian Cairns, Steve Brown and John Didur -- deny preventing Ms. Boer from going to the authorities and argue they owed her no special duty of care as alleged in the suit.
They accused Ms. Boer of "asking the church to pay for the sins of the father."
Ms. Boer testified that her father, whom she is not suing and who was never criminally charged, touched her sexually on numerous occasions from the time she was 11 until she was 15.
The abuse stopped after Ms. Boer told her mother, who criticized her for dressing immodestly but agreed to confront the father, Ms. Boer told the court.
She told no one until four years later, she said, when she was plagued by memories of the abuse and suffering symptoms of severe depression and anxiety. "I just kept crying and crying."
Then 19, she went to local elders Mr. Cairns and Mr. Brown, and they in turn asked for advice from Mr. Didur, an elder with the national Watchtower organization, she said.
The men made her repeat her story over and over, she said, then insisted she not go to authorities but instead confront her father in the presence of Mr. Cairns and Mr. Brown and give him the chance to repent.
"I told them I couldn't do it," she wept yesterday. "They said I had to."
In two confrontations at his home, Ms. Boer's father accused her of exaggerating, she said.
He did acknowledge some sexual impropriety, apologized to her and agreed to do some extra service for the Watchtower Society, she said.
The elders then declared the matter closed.
"They said they felt my father had shown signs of repentance, that he was a changed man," she said.
They told her if she went to the CAS the family would be investigated, her father would lose his job and her mother would be left destitute, she said.
Edited by - Scully on 10 September 2002 8:42:41
Hawkaw and Scully,
Thanks so much for posting this information. It is bloody amazing to me how much it echos my experiences with the elders and those of others here.
when society elders told her to pray, to preach and to forgive her father for the abuse -- but not to report it to the Children's Aid Society or doctors
Ms. Boer told her mother, who criticized her for dressing immodestly
The men made her repeat her story over and over, she said, then insisted she not go to authorities but instead confront her father in the presence of Mr. Cairns and Mr. Brown and give him the chance to repent
"They said they felt my father had shown signs of repentance, that he was a changed man
They told her if she went to the CAS the family would be investigated, her father would lose his job and her mother would be left destitute, she said.
ALL of these quotes highlight the utter lack of sensitivity to the victim displayed by the elders, as well as their total lack of knowledge and ability to properly handle a case of sexual abuse. I am very impressed with Ms. Boer's courage in coming forward; this has to be quite an ordeal on top of what she's already suffered.
How long is the case expected to go on? And, I know this is speculation, but what do you think are the chances of her winning the suit?
Thanks again,
Dana
The case is going for about 14 days.
A decision is not usually announced after the end of the trial. I figure the decision will come out in November.
For your information Globe and Mail goes CANADA wide. Also the CP story is in about 75 newspapers CANADA wide thanks to the Canada.com site.
Her stories will hit about 3 to 5 million Canadians. With a population of only 30 million we have probably hit the mark big time alerting the public to the story. Now we gotta get the door to door issue going.
There is lots more to come people. Lots more.
hawk
Times...they are a changing!!!
At our trial in '82, not one Witness from the original congregation (Aylmer) went to the trial (although we were Witneses and probably 4 of the Elders who were soepaened -- even they didn't show up!)
At the very least, seems like the Witnesses are taking notice of this current trial!
To those Witnesses who say, "This is just a bunch of apostates stirring up trouble," I say, "Apostates, my ass! If you had learned from the mistakes of cases like my family experienced 2 decades ago, you would have admitted your mistakes, changed your policies and when victims like Vicki came to you, you would have shown her love, compassion and gotten her the hell out of that home!"
Ms. Boer testified:
>>>They said they felt my father had shown signs of repentance, that he was a changed man<<<
What kind of "signs of repentance"?? He shed a few tears during the judicial committee meeting where Vicki had to describe all the gory details of what HE did TO HER, in front of her father and three of HIS friends??
That's usually good enough for a judicial committee, when it's a male member that's being accused of wrongdoing.
But it's not good enough to get a female off the hook.
Oh, and the criticism about her 'dressing immodestly' in front of her father... a "nightgown" is "immodest"?? Did the elders also ask her if she was wearing a thong or panties??
Frikkin hypocrites!
Love, Scully
Edited by - Scully on 10 September 2002 9:52:51
Scully,
Oh, and the criticism about her 'dressing immodestly' in front of her father
That one makes my blood boil, too. Talk about blaming the victim!!! Hellloooo, she was a child, HE was the adult. It is truly disgusting.
Dana
I hope someone's forwarding this stuff to Dateline, CNN (Connie Chung), BBC, NYT and all.
I would if I knew how :-(
The following struck me forcibly:
>>The men made her repeat her story over and over, she said, then insisted she not go to authorities but instead confront her father in the presence of Mr. Cairns and Mr. Brown and give him the chance to repent.
"I told them I couldn't do it," she wept yesterday. "They said I had to.">>
Sorry, but wasn't it Messrs. Gnam and Day (Mia's lawyers - and how did a minor afford to engage 2 lawyers???) who went on record just a few days ago saying that they were going to follow Mia's wishes and pursue a case relating to the rights of teenagers.....? So how does that sit with the interrogation and treatment of children and teenagers by the WTBTS in abuse cases.....? Not too well imo!
Do these guys (or those who are *paying* their fees) realise what a can o' worms they will be opening if they pursue this case?
It would appear not!
Christian Observer:
>>>wasn't it Messrs. Gnam and Day (Mia's lawyers - and how did a minor afford to engage 2 lawyers???) who went on record just a few days ago saying that they were going to follow Mia's wishes and pursue a case relating to the rights of teenagers.....? So how does that sit with the interrogation and treatment of children and teenagers by the WTBTS in abuse cases.....? Not too well imo!<<<
This is a very excellent point.
Apparently JW teens have the "right" to make martyrs of themselves by refusing blood, but don't have the "right" to bodily integrity and freedom from sexual predators and abuse by fellow JWs.
Love, Scully
