Australian ABC News article on JW incest victim

by shepherdless 24 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  shepherdless

  I am surprised nobody else has posted this yet. A lot of people in Aust will read this.

  “Incest victim turned lawyer speaks out on reporting violence and sexual abuse”

  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-08/incest-victim-to-honours-law-graduate-shelly-triumph-over-abuse/10978530

  Article begins:

  ”After enduring years of secrecy and betrayal, Shelly Rose Braieoux finally dug deep within herself and picked up the phone.

  Having grown up with parents who were strict Jehovah's Witnesses, she remembers being taught to fear outsiders.

  Making a report to the police, an elder told her, would "bring reproach" upon Jehovah's name.“
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  jwleaks

  Well done Shelly. All the best.
• 

  zeb

  Well done Shelley.

  Live long and prosper in wisdom health and love..
  
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  smiddy3

  Its a pity Elders who give this advice "bring reproach" upon Jehovah's name.“ were not themselves identified and prosecuted as they are really harbouring criminals and perverting the cause of justice in not reporting these abuses themselves .

  Take care Shelley / BCG your a survivor .
• 

  jonahstourguide

  This was the guy about whom Australian branch member Doug Jackson wrote, while he was a c.o. "When the dust settles, he will be a benefit to the congregation" or words to that effect when the guy moved to another cong.

  jtg,
  
• 

  Vidiot

  Even as a kid, I suspected that the "reproach" card was wrong.

  I even told my loyalist elder Dad that keeping abuse secret and having the cops find out later that the congregation kept it hushed up would bring way more "reproach" than reporting ever could...

  ...and that, in fact, reporting would actually engender respect from the authorities, rather than "reproach".

  My mom was an experienced teacher and she agreed with me, and from the look on my Dad's face, it was obvious that the thought had never even occurred to him. To his credit, though, he didn't get angry with me.

  I think his handicaps had been seeing the "World"...

  a) ...as the enemy that you didn't dare give any ammunition to, and...

  b) ....utterly incapable of doing things better than "God's Earthly Organization".
• 

  Vidiot

  In fact, it was this quandary that eventually led me to suspect that it was kept secret for a far different reason...

  ...that if allegations were reported properly, doing so would reveal that there were a disproportionately high number of offenders in the Organization (something that's happening now, IMO)...

  ...which would - in the long run - threaten the Org's ability to function.
• 

  Tenacious

  I had already posted it.

  But two is better than one!
• 

  lastmanstanding

  There will definitely be “reproach on the name of Jehovah”, on a grand scale. But not because of the little children who have been raped by Watchtower.

  No, the reproach will come because they who have taken this name upon themselves have disobeyed Caesar, hid crimes, threatened victims.

  Jehovahs Witnesses and their invention of a God based on some catholic monks BS are going to get it. Every drop they deserve.
• 

  Tenacious

  Jehovahs Witnesses and their invention of a God based on some catholic monks BS are going to get it. Every drop they deserve.

  The vermin leaders yes. And those in the rank and file that know what’s going on and yet also continue to recruit and deceive.