Canada - Abuse allegations in Newfoundland casting a cloud over Jehovah's Witnesses

by OrphanCrow 32 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Introvert 2

  Macy, I know how you feel. The little kid I'm talking about was abused by his babysitter JW. He had ADHD so this sent him for a loop, he could never really contain himself after that episode. I remember him well, my ears are still ringing, boy what a handful ! His parents more or less abandoned him at 18 and he was left to fend for himself from what I can tell. Not good, and we all know the outcome.

  Parents are still in the 'truth' and doing some 'pioneering' while waiting it out for their inheritance. Remarried both sides, actually the mom is on her third marriage. Can you say Gold Digger ? What a story you can't make this stuff up. Buy hey all is well in the 'truth'
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  macys

  Orphan I try. Really I do. But knowing what I know and having seen what I have seen with my own eyes and experience it makes me so angry that more JDubs are not asking these questions and reporting these things! Like mindless drones who obey orders willfully ignorantly. When will justice come to this cult? You can say I was a JDub only for a short time before I got Dfd but in that time I have seen so much. I can not imagine those who have been JDubs for 30, 40 years or worked in Bethel.

  I heard someone say "Bethel makes the best apostates." Know we know why!
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  Introvert 2

  When I first met his born in parents I became friends with the husband who 'encouraged' me to pursue the 'truth' as I had always known about it. He commented on how weird I was for not hitting the strip clubs, partying non stop nor having any fast money making schemes. Total imbecile he turned out to be.
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  OrphanCrow

  macys: ...But knowing what I know and having seen what I have seen with my own eyes and experience it makes me so angry that more JDubs are not asking these questions and reporting these things!

  I know...me too.

  The JWs are so insular that they are ignorant of how the law applies to each and every one of them. ALL of the JWs here in Canada who suspect child abuse are accountable under our legal system for non-reporting. All of them.

  Heh...a few years ago I did just that. I reported a suspected case of child abuse in a JW family (not sexual) and it was investigated by Child Welfare. Not sure of the outcome, but I was able to sleep after I reported it. I will never hesitate to report what I think is abhorrently wrong - the mistreatment of children.

  introvert: He commented on how weird I was for not hitting the strip clubs, partying non stop nor having any fast money making schemes.

  I have met several JW men that fit that description.
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  careful

  Thanks for the post.
  
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  umbertoecho

  I think there is a general rule that has applied for decades here in Australia where any person covering up any crime, is committing a crime. I will check it out as this matter was raised in the RC by Justice McClellan
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  elderINewton

  I can personally say that in a few cases known to me in Canada (BC, Alberta) that the society still stresses that its the family or victim that makes the decision to report to authorities. The Canadian Bethel's instructions are to send to brothers to directly confront the abuser with the intention to obtain confession. No confession information is handed to the police.

  The society feels that the elders have minister exemptions (which don't exist in many provinces). I know that when I mentioned that we don't have exemption the body said we have to follow bethel. Nothing like the moment you realize you have to leave these guys.
  
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  OrphanCrow

  umber: I think there is a general rule that has applied for decades here in Australia where any person covering up any crime, is committing a crime. I will check it out as this matter was raised in the RC by Justice McClellan

  I believe you are right, umber. But, the mandatory reporting laws in Australia are not as broad as in Canada. The Canadian mandatory laws cover even suspected cases of child abuse - you aren't supposed to wait to see if a confirmed crime has been committed. And, the mandatory reporting laws cover all provinces in Canada, with some variations between each, whereas in Australia, some provinces don't have mandatory reporting in place.

  A crime doesn't have to happen for it to be wrong to not report - just the suspicion of the crime is enough.

  eldernewton: I can personally say that in a few cases known to me in Canada (BC, Alberta) that the society still stresses that its the family or victim that makes the decision to report to authorities.

  Well, those WT lawyers might be getting a rude awakening soon...along with all the Canadian elders who listened to them for advice. And anyone else who was aware that there were child abuse allegations in the congregations and didn't report it. Legally, it is not up to the victim or family to report - it is anyone who has knowledge of it.
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  berrygerry

  And they say that elders are too busy to be doing things with their children.

  How sweet that the son and the father can be doing things together.

  /s - If you didn't know.
  
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  talesin

  Thank you for posting this, OC. I don't read news often so, didn't know. Yes, Canada needs a Royal Commission - one that is not going after a politician - people would get behind this. The ARC is a good example to follow, and like I said, people are bored with political corruption. We need something to once again make the press WAKE UP, for the sake of the children.

  I had a 'boyfriend' @ 16YO in Marystown, which is on the Peninsula, and good friends in St. John's. It is sad to think of any of those people being involved, but who knows?
  
  CSA was rampant here during my youth - I know of two (blood) sisters who were raped by a Special Pioneer, the one he got pregnant (15) was DF, he was transferred out west. Another two cases in another local congo. And I learned about 5 years ago (ran into him in the store, we had beers together - once) that a guy I grew up with is a pedo.

  Then our own Kwin, whose father's family I boarded with, and he still lives here, who was also molested (older threads tell his tale of exposing the WT on Global News, and we did a little 'signage campaign' during the DC (mwah haha) that got covered on the news as well.
  
  So, i think there are lots of folks who would 'come out of the woodwork' if we had our own RC.

  Thanks for posting, I'm off to look it up online! xx tal