Here's an excerpt from the recent lawsuit Deborah Hines v. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York et al (paragraphs 158-180), one of 29 known cases brought against the org pursuant to the NY Child Victims Act. What should be kept in mind is that Gerrit Lösch apparently worked in Europe (the Austrian branch and Eastern Europe) at the time when the abuse was allegedly reported to him (not a GB member then).
PLAINTIFF was raised a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. She primarily attended meetings at various congregations in Arizona. PLAINTIFF became a Pioneer in approximately 1987 or 1988.
Plaintiff’s stepfather, William Briggs (“Briggs”) was employed by WATCHTOWER and GOVERNING BODY to produce videos at Bethel. Due to his position, Plaintiff and her family split their time between Arizona and New York. Plaintiff and her family would spend three months in New York, where they lived at Bethel, then return back to Arizona for one month, and then go back to New York for three months, and so on and so forth. WATCHTOWER and GOVERNING BODY assigned elder Ted Adams as Briggs’ Overseer while at Bethel.
From approximately 1982-1988, when PLAINTIFF was approximately 10-16 years old, PLAINTIFF suffered horrific sexual abuse by Briggs. The sexual abuse occurred three to five times per week, and included, but was not limited to, sodomy, rape, forced oral copulation, and Briggs urinating in Plaintiff’s mouth.
While at Bethel, Plaintiff was assigned to work various jobs, including, assisting with video production, working in the laundry facility, and as an elevator operator. While at Bethel, Plaintiff was assigned by WATCHTOWER and GOVERNING BODY to live in the same room as her mother and Briggs. At all times relevant, Plaintiff’s mother suffered from alcoholism. While Plaintiff’s family was living at Bethel, Plaintiff’s mother would frequently consume alcohol to the point of incapacitation. Once she was incapacitated, Briggs would sexually abuse Plaintiff in their room at Bethel.
In approximately 1986, Plaintiff reported her sexual abuse to Michael Filla, an Elder who worked at Bethel. Mr. Filla did nothing in response. Briggs’ sexual abuse of Hines continued at Bethel after Hines’ report to Mr. Filla.
A couple weeks after reporting to Mr. Filla, Plaintiff reported her abuse to Ted Adams, an Elder at Bethel, the Overseer of all video projects at Bethel, and the elder who WATCHTOWER and GOVERNING BODY assigned to oversee Briggs while Briggs was at Bethel. Mr. Adams told Plaintiff that she should not talk about her abuse with anyone. Mr. Adams was removed as an Overseer shortly thereafter. Briggs’ sexual abuse of Hines continued at Bethel after Hines’ report to Mr. Adams.
Plaintiff then reported her abuse to Mr. Underwood, an Elder at Bethel and the Overseer of all international construction at Bethel. Mr. Underwood did nothing in response. Briggs’ sexual abuse of Hines continued at Bethel after Hines’ report to Mr. Underwood.
Plaintiff then reported to Jack Barr, an Elder and a member of the GOVERNING BODY at the time. Mr. Barr told Plaintiff that he would relay her report to the entire GOVERNING BODY. Briggs’ sexual abuse of Hines continued at Bethel after Hines’ report to Mr. Barr. About one week after her report to Mr. Barr, Mr. Barr informed Plaintiff that the GOVERNING BODY had “taken care of it,” that she should feel privileged for having the experiences that she had, that Briggs was too important to be disciplined because of his role in creating videos at Bethel, that they couldn’t do anything about her abuse because Briggs had only admitted to digitally penetrating and not raping Plaintiff, and that if she continued to talk about her abuse, she would be stripped of her privileges as a Pioneer.
Following her report to Mr. Barr, Plaintiff was removed from her mother and stepfather’s room at Bethel. Plaintiff was told that Briggs would not be told why Plaintiff was being removed from his room. Upon information and belief, Briggs was told that Plaintiff was removed from his room due to her accusations that he was sexually abusing her. Briggs’ sexual abuse of Plaintiff continued when they returned to Arizona. Based on information and belief, while in Arizona Briggs escalated his behavior, including by physically abusing Hines, in retaliation for Plaintiff’s aforementioned reports.
In or around 1987, Plaintiff reported her ongoing sexual abuse to LOSCH. LOSCH responded that it had been handled, that Briggs was sufficiently repentant, and that Plaintiff should not talk to anybody else about the abuse anymore. Following Plaintiff’s report to LOSCH, Briggs continued to sexually abuse PLAINTIFF at their home in Arizona.
Upon information and belief, Briggs was never disciplined by WATCHTOWER or GOVERNING BODY for admitting to sexually abusing Plaintiff. Plaintiff ignored WATCHTOWER’s and GOVERNING BODY’s directive to keep quiet about her abuse and continued to report her abuse to several other Jehovah’s Witness members, including several more elders. As a result, WATCHTOWER and GOVERNING BODY retaliated against Plaintiff by removing her privileges as a Pioneer in 1991. On the day that Plaintiff’s privileges were removed, she was publicly reproved, and Briggs was elevated to the position of Elder