Montana jury awards two women $35M in sex abuse lawsuit against Jehovah's Witnesses

by AndersonsInfo 92 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

  • Della Street
    Della Street

    Are there any states where Mandatory Reporter Laws were successfully amended to include clergy or spiritual advisors? I'm in Oregon, and I'm thinking I'd like to see what can be done here to include even "lay" clergy like the Elders. Any ideas what the language for that would look like?

  • Diogenesister
    Diogenesister

    Della It would be worth your looking into the judgement in this case, since watchtower was found guilty not just of negligence but also malice aforethought...hence this high award figure for the niece.

    One thing that stands out with regard to any rules regarding clergy in mandatory reporting is that the relationship between penitent and confessor must be strictly confidential to count as such. Watchtower elders not only discuss it between 2 or 3 others, and make notes which could be read by other appointed men in the cong, but they also report to watchtower Service dept elders and the legal department, so any confession or accusation is far from confidential. This has been raised in a few CSA cases. So if your state has an opt out of mandatory reporting for clergy, well, Watchtower practices and procedures rule them out of "benefiting" from that clause.

  • JW GoneBad
    JW GoneBad
    Diogenesister: Watchtower elders not only discuss it between 2 or 3 others, and make notes which could be read by other appointed men in the cong, but they also report to watchtower Service dept elders and the legal department, so any confession or accusation is far from confidential.

    Don't forget that elder's wives also learn alot of this confidential matter after they annoy & bully their husbands into telling them as well!🤣

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