I have been reading in facebook that there is a new Society's order for destroying all documents concerning cases of Pedophilia in all congregations. Is it true that the elders have received such an order??
Do all congregations have to destroy all documents related to cases of Pedophilia?
by opusdei1972 18 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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Beth Sarim
A few months back there was a thread on here somewhere about Elders given instructions on destroying information. To destroy files on lawsuits especially in regards to child abuse. About the time of the Regional Commission in Australia last summer. Can't remember exactly when that was though. -
sparrowdown
I have read this too and whoever has proof of this letter should send it to the Australian Royal Commission's enquiry into institutional responses to child abuse. I am sure they would be very interested in such a letter. -
opusdei1972
Any instruction must be sent through a confidential letter to "all the body of elders". So, it would be great if that letter could be published here (if it exists). -
opusdei1972
It seems that the information is coming from this source:
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Beth Sarim
If memory serves me correctly, there was a ''BOE'', body of elders letter here. Which pertained to destroying records of past judicial committees. Especially when it pertained to child abuse allegations. -
the girl next door
Sexual abuse files are handled differently and despite the letters from the BOE specifically in response to the UK Data Protection Act being applied by the ExJW community to sexual abuse cases within the WT, it is not the case.
This was from a related post:
"UK has a data protection law. JW's complied with it.
Since 2000/2001 all congregation judicial records (envelopes) EXCEPT child molestation cases are to be destroyed by the service committee and replaced with a file which lists:
Name of 3 elders on case/date/name of individual/ and reproved or DFD/DA'd in file. No details kept.
Child molestation cases are sent to the branch in its entirety and a separate child protection file is kept by the secretary with basic details of the case. Accessible to ALL elders.
Every year the elders get a reminder to do an audit with the checklist shown. It is the service committee's responsibility to do it. Ongoing child molestation cases are not destroyed but sent to the branch and basic details are kept in the congregation child protection file. Each elder must destroy anything he "inadvertently" kept such as his personal notes from any judicial matter he dealt with.""UK elders are not specifically required to destroy or keep anything by law.
Any data they keep has to comply to the Data Protection Act about how it is obtained, for what purpose and how long it is kept for. An individual can make an information request at any time to see the data held about them The recent audit letter and the letter posed by WiFiBandit above demonstrate that the WTS is very prescriptive in ensuring the minimum data is kept, for (I repeat) two key reasons:
1 - to prevent elders keeping data that either does not comply with the DPA or data that could be used in a civil case by someone wishing to bring a case against a congregation on the basis of information held about them.
2 - to keep to a minimum data that could be used by the authorities against the organisation.
Point 1 is because elders are often idiots and careless about what they write down and keep hold of.
Point 2 is because the WTS has a persecution complex and imagines they are going to be oppressed at some point.
It's a matter of opinion but asking elders to audit their records against the published benchmarks is...not quite the same as getting them to destroy evidence or cover things up. If they have no legal obligation to hold the data then they cannot be accused of destroying evidence. When it comes to child abuse, the processes are clear about what should be held. This is so some measure of "due diligence" and "duty of care" can be demonstrated rather than adherence to any legal obligation is concerned.
They can, however, be asked to explain how such instructions really tally with an open, transparent and progressive organisation, especially when it comes to child abuse. The instructions can be compared with other organisations to illustrate the predictably huge gap between the WTS' claims of being leaders in child abuse management and the reality of what is best practice in the vast majority of similar organisations."posted by konceptual99
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the girl next door
Here is the UK document referenced in the video
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the girl next door
Here is the supporting UK BOE letter:
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WTS Archive
Oh come on, for real nobody even bothered to check whether what that Youtube video says is true? Really?
Read carefully the "2015 CHECKLIST FOR AUDIT OF FILE" document posted above. As you can clearly see, the elders are NOT instructed to destroy child molestation case files, nor any stored judicial records. The instruction is to destroy elder's personal notes and records from elder meetings and notes about particular individuals (excluding child molestation cases and JC records). And in case of child molestation and other stored judicial records - to make sure these records are in harmony with other instructions contained in BOE Letters and the elders handbook. And these documents CLEARLY say those records should be kept on file indefinitely. They even go out and say that the elders should keep them in a separate envelope marked "DO NOT DESTROY".
I really would like to punch the guy in that Youtube video in the face, because he is spreading false information. PLEASE, check your sources guys, don't follow blindly what some people say on Youtube. We have so many incriminating evidence about WTS that we don't need to fabricate it. And when one does try to fabricate evidence, it will be uncovered by JWs and fortify their belief that apostates only want to deceive them. I only say that because that was what happened to me years ago - I stumbled upon an "apostate" website that had outright lies presented on it, and my "faith" only got stronger from that experience. It was only after several years I was given the opportunity to wake up again, and fortunately this time I did.
