Dutch Branch office response to the motion accepted by Parliament: "an investigation is shooting with a cannon on a mosquito"

by jochie 16 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

• 

  jochie

  Today a large article was published in a Dutch newspaper 'Dagblad van het Noorden'. It is about Frank Huiting, the Reclaimed Voices Foundation and the adopted motion in Parliament. The Branch office has given a reaction:

  According to the organisation of Jehovah's Witnesses, an investigation desired by the entire Parliament into sexual abuse within the church, is disproportionate. "The Reclaimed Voices Foundation says that this is a structural problem within our Church. We do not identify with this at all," says spokesman Michel van Hilten. According to him, the scale of the problem is not larger than elsewhere in society.

  They therefore refuse to cooperate in such an investigation. "Have you read that motion? The first three paragraphs are rattling assumptions. We are certainly not going to cooperate on the basis of assumptions. There are all kinds of stories about us, that we have a closed structure and that there are many cases of child abuse. But we have a handful of incidents and reports of abuse each year. Reclaimed Voices can only arrive with 301 cases if those issues have been taken out of context, through double counting or if other types of issues are counted as abuse.

  Jehovah's Witnesses refuse contact with Reclaimed Voices. "No, we are not going to go along with that. They have hired a lawyer, they work through the media, and the phase of constructive consultation has long since ended.

  The Church sees no reason for internal research either: "We have seriously considered it, though. We are not an apathetic organisation, without any self-reflection. We have set up a very sound protocol for this. Our protocol is a compilation of our efforts to protect children within our community. Because our protocol has been posted on our website, everyone now has access to our working methods. Once again, there are many calls, without any knowledge of the facts. Such an investigation is shooting with a cannon on a mosquito."
  
  source: Dagblad van het Noorden / Reclaimed Voices
• 

  Tallon

  … But we have a handful of incidents and reports of abuse each year. Reclaimed Voices can only arrive with 301 cases if those issues have been taken out of context, through double counting or if other types of issues are counted as abuse …

  I would hardly describe 301 cases of child sexual abuse as merely a handful !

  Even one case of child sexual abuse is one too many. I hope the Dutch government goes down the same route as the ARC. The WTBTS needs to be held to account.

  
  
• 

  waton

  one of the problem in all these communications is the deliberately vague terms that have been concocted.

  sexual abuse can be anything from voyeurism, to rape, or consensual sex with an 17. 95 year old. Illustration:

  Trudeau up for groping 18 years ago, vs cigar incident of Bill Clinton. not minor but vague.
• 

  Anders Andersen

  Watchtower hardly ever responds when asked for commentary by media, and now that they did they're effectively saying Reclaimed Voices and the victims make stuff up. Classy.

  They should have said: we're very shocked to hear all this, and although before we never thought we had an issue with child abuse we sure want to get to the bottom of this! Therefore we invite RV to collaborate with us in an attempt to find the extent of the issue.

  It's also very telling that Watchtower is basically throwing a red herring. The main issue the victims and RV and the government have with JW is not that JW has a much higher rate of child abuse than the rest of society.

  The main problem is that JW offer no proper support to abuse victims and their policies and culture make that child abuse is kept secret without anyone reporting to the police.

  By focussing on the numbers and not the culture of secrecy and blind loyalty Watchtowr are deliberately throwing the discussion of course.

  As for their child abuse manual (that now they finally have it is being heralded as the best thing ever): al they do is tell everyone they on their own when it comes to abuse, because it's not Watchtower's responsibility.
• 

  stuckinarut2

  Arrogance like this by the Society will only harden the resolve of the authorities to act!

  The Society has shot themselves in the foot by this attempt to be dismissive of the issue.
• 

  zeb

  I hope with all my heart that the Dutch parliament study well the responses of the wt at the ARC. and, note very carefully the uses of wording twisting of norms and arrogant assumptions that all the while wt are above the law.

  If they had a scrap of corporate humility they would happily go along with any inquiry and if it proves to be a dud so be it. If it highlight some atrocious things happening then corrective measures can be taken and justice done and COMPENSATION paid.

  • The need for compensation is to cover the costs of mental health care by mental health professionals as apposed to getting 'spiritual' care which means being strafed with scriptures invited to meetings and being told you yes you have to do it better and it will end any minute now.
  • the victim may see the need to move house or state to get away from the sharp edged gossipy tongues that will be going.
  • The victim may wish to go to college and start new life for themselves away from the wt dogma and empty promises.

  If you have the truth then let it be put onto a forge and if it is the truth then it will be found of pure metal if you are so fearful of being examined then you are declaring guilt by default.

  Please any Dutch writers here please contact the relevant people in the Dutch Parliament and ask them to scan every thing the wt says and to never assume the standard norms of conversation, are being honored.
  
• 

  Anders Andersen

  Please any Dutch writers here please contact the relevant people in the Dutch Parliament and ask them to scan every thing the wt says and to never assume the standard norms of conversation, are being honored.

  That has been taken care of. Reclaimed Voices is keeping in close contact with the members of parliament that initiated this. Every time I"m pleasantly surprised by the knowledge of the MPs and the timing of next steps. They (RV) are doing a very good job!
  
  
• 

  john.prestor

  This man should be ashamed of himself. No one is saying that Jehovah's Witnesses have more child abuse than anyone else; this is either a deliberate "misunderstanding" a la Geoffrey Jackson before the ARC or it just demonstrates again that Jehovah's Witnesses think in comparative terms. But even 301 cases of whatever kind of abuse, waton, need to be investigated (and I doubt that most are statutory rape or voyeurism).

  Other organizations have been willing, with or without government pressure, to reexamine their policies and practices and make major to minor adjustments. Jehovah's Witnesses unwillingness to do the same speaks volumes.

  "The phase of constructive consultation has long since ended"? When did it begin?
• 

  Sour Grapes

  JDubs treat child abuse as a sin, not as a crime. A little girl can be raped and calling the police is the last thing on the Borgs mind. It is all about protecting the Borg's image. Now if you want them to call the police throw some eggs at a Kingdumb Haul or crack a window.
• 

  waton

  But even 301 cases of whatever kind of abuse, waton, need to be investigated (and I doubt that most are statutory rape or voyeurism).

  absolutely, and details publicized, perhaps the best way to deter any and all act out their drive, and harm more.

  And bring back the death penalty, that wt advocates even for whole families in their Armageddon doctrine.