Mandatory reporting of Child sexual abuse and the failure to report when it`s not mandatory.

by smiddy 8 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  smiddy

  The Jehovah`s Witnesses are on record as saying they obey the law in reporting child sex abuse when it is mandatory in the state or territory where it occurred .

  In other words where it is not mandatory they do not report such abuse.

  They will only do so if the law of the land requires them to do so.

  Where is the duty of care ,the protection of the victim ,the support ,and the legal protection , he or she would get from the government sponsored systems in place to protect such victims.

  They obviously do not have the victims welfare as a first priority , if they did they would report it to the relevant departments of concern as soon as they became aware of such abuse , but they do not.regardless of whether it was mandatory or not.

  It obviously has to do with protecting their perceived image of themselves in the community of not having a problem with child sex abuse.

  As has been stated many times : "You " / " we" do not want to drag Jehovah`s name through the mud"

  And as the" Royal Commission " focusing on Jehovah`s Witnesses is demonstrating , Children`s welfare are not being met.

  smiddy
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  Sabin

  They don't give a shit smiddy. It will all go away in the new system. These Bastards just want to shut the kids up. There is no support for them, don't you know psycologists are worldly, they have worldly idears, they would corrupt the kids thinking & turn them from God. NO its far better to suppress it all, & then later when it comes back to haunt them & they go nuts just kick them out of the cong, cause they are bad. A time when they need love & help that's the time these fuckers decide to victimize them further. Im sorry but it makes me so mad.
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  LoveUniHateExams

  Thinking about it, how can reporting child abuse be 'dragging Jehovah's name through the mud'? Child abuse is about the criminal and the victim - it's nothing to do with god. Unless, of course, Jehovah's name is synonymous with the name (or reputation) of the WTS.

  And why does the WTS conveniently forget the scriptural command "pay Caesar's things back to Caesar" with respect to reporting child abuse to the relevant authorities?
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  The Searcher

  Where is the Org's obedience to Christ's stated second greatest commandment? (Matthew 22:39)

  Nowhere to be found.
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  Sabin

  The thing is if a kid went to the elders & said my next door neighbour is touching me & he isn't a JW what would they tell them to do? I get it its a brother, if your brother came to you, you MAY advise him to get a lawyer in place because he`s your brother right, which I guess that is what they are trying to get across. BUT we are talking about a child here & in some cases many kids. One elder I know about molested 17 girls or at least that was the last count. They have absolutely nothing in place to protect them from further harm or support at the time or years down the line. That is why they have such a high suicide rate. Shepard the flock of God book then condems them further if they fail in their attempt. Leading them down a road of further self destruction. My God they have no mercy. What on earth are they thinking, Jesus isn't going to pat them on the back is he.
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  DesirousOfChange

  The Jehovah`s Witnesses are on record as saying they obey the law in reporting child sex abuse when it is mandatory in the state or territory where it occurred .

  In other words where it is not mandatory they do not report such abuse.

  They will only do so if the law of the land requires them to do so.

  You can't have it both ways. If it's not law, then it's a matter of "ethics". But so is the confidentiality of a person who confesses a sin to their religious leader.
  

  Without the law mandating reporting, then I believe "clerical privilege" or "ecclesiastical privilege" would require ANY "minister" to keep a "confession" confidential. (In the USA, at least), failing to keep the matter confidential would open them to being sued. (I'm sure it's the same for a doctor or counselor.)
  

  If you're in a (US) State that does not have mandatory reporting laws (for child abuse) you should be complaining to your elected representatives.

  JMO

  Doc
  
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  johnamos

  Doc... in line with what you have stated and with the title of this topic, here is an email that I just sent to Angus Stewart...(I saw another thread where someone here sent him a direct email so I thought hey why not I will also)

  Angus Stewart,

  
  I just want to start off saying that I am not in agreement with the WTS’s teachings, beliefs, and policies, etc… that said, this is the reality:
  
  The elders in the Jehovah’s Witness church follow the teachings, beliefs, and policies that come solely from the governing body members (currently 7 men make up the GB at this time) of the WTS. In regards to their teachings, beliefs, and policies as it relates to child abuse, you yourself have recognized that they comply with reporting cases to the authorities whenever they occur in areas where it is the law to report such cases. In respect to reporting cases whenever they occur in areas where it is not the law to report such cases to the authorities you have pointed out that they do not report the cases and this they admit to. However, the question should be, is why is it that in some areas it is not required by law to do so??? Regardless, the facts are that the WTS/elders/GB are not doing anything legally wrong. They are following the laws of the land.
  
  If y’all are really concerned about the children in these cases then why don’t you seek to change the laws of the land where it is not legally required to report such cases??? If this is done then the WTS/GB/elders will comply with reporting all such cases wherever they occur.
  
  Next, as you yourself pointed out as it was read from their handbook and that is that regardless of the elders not reporting such cases, their handbook states that all JW’s are free to report crimes to the authorities. This means that the victims themselves can do so or the parents of the victims or anyone in the know about such crimes can do so. So in reality when the elders do not report cases whenever they are in areas where it is not required to do so, they are not breaking any laws and the cases going unreported are not solely due to the elders not reporting them, but if they go unreported it is because the victims themselves, or the parents of the victims or anyone in the know about such crimes refuse to report them even thou they are free to do so.
  
  Lastly, when the legal team for the WTS ask questions in regards to the book that all JW’s would have to have studied and agreed with before they are able to become a baptized JW, those questions are showing that all those that have gone through that book are agreeing into and accepting the teachings, beliefs, and policies, etc… of the WTS/GB.
  
  Basically, at the end of all this it will be seen that the WTS has done nothing legally wrong and that it is the victims themselves or the parents of the victims or anyone in the know about such crimes are the ones that should be the ones that report all such cases to the authorities. Also that the areas of your country (as well as around the world) that do not require it law to report, these areas should change their requirements and make it mandatory to report all such cases.
  
  
  Respectfully,
  
  John Amos
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  smiddy

  It has been brought out in today`s proceedings that if an elder has been made aware of sexual abuse against a minor by an adult , regardless of mandatory reporting or not , in the State of New South Wales ,he is obligated to report this to the relevant authourities , and if he does not he could be prosecuted for failure to do so.

  smiddy
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  Mephis

  DesirousofChange - the judicial committee is not a confessional. It receives confessions, but it is not a confessional. There is no veil of secrecy whatsoever. The Catholic priest doesn't fill forms out for his bishop about the confession he's just received, let alone send off all the details to a database held in the Vatican. One doesn't have three priests sat in the confessional box. etc etc. The Jdubs use the US constitution which guarantees certain rights for religions, but elsewhere, they don't get to tell a court 'we used a scripture, you can't touch us'.