"It is the victims right to approach authorities" The weak excuse used by the society

by stuckinarut2 33 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  stuckinarut2

  We have seen that the society falls back on the line "It is the victims right to approach the authorities" during all the abuse claims.

  They use this excuse to try and defend the passive lack of action in failing to report suspected cases of abuse.

  A comparison came to mind:

  If we came across a person lying in the street who says they were hit by a car, would we say "It is your absolute right to call the paramedics and police"?

  Or would we take the initiative and call those authorities ourselves to help the person?
  
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  Lostandfound

  Stuckinarut2

  exactly, excellent illustration.

  many cases I know of they tried to close off a situation by saying reporting things to secular authorities could bring reproach upon the org and intimating possible trouble for the abused. Light needs shining in the recesses of org and opened up to fair scrutiny.
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  skimthesurface

  It's actually a responsibility, not a right
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  schnell

  All they have to do is excuse themselves from all criminal accusations direct them to the police. That's it. No ecclesiastical privilege, nothing. Just show them to the police.

  And they don't want to do it.
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  Finkelstein

  Under legal guidelines yes that's true but the WTS has been mentally influencing people to not do so as it could bring reproach onto gods organization, advocating instead the position that let the issue be handled internally by Jehovah's will and direction, a position of cover up and secrecy.
  

  That's why for example there were over 1000 instances of pedophilia in the JW religion not reported to the police authorities in Australia since the 1950.
  
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  blondie

  Good comparison, stuckinarut

  If we came across a person lying in the street who says they were hit by a car, would we say "It is your absolute right to call the paramedics and police"?
  
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  Slidin Fast

  This passive approach is roundly condemned in the ARC report and rightly so.
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  out4good4

  Jehovahs-witnesses are trained to steer clear of any activity that there is not of a direct tangible benefit to the organization. You would think that they would be more than happy to turn over any suspicion of child molestation to the authorities, but that would keep a potential drone from being out there slogging their wares door to door.

  This is just a convenient excuse for them to feel justified in doing nothing.
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  OrphanCrow

  Stuckinarut: We have seen that the society falls back on the line "It is the victims right to approach the authorities" during all the abuse claims.
  They use this excuse to try and defend the passive lack of action in failing to report suspected cases of abuse.

  That excuse peed me right off. The WTS claims that they don't report because the process could traumatize the victim. What a lame and pathetic excuse.

  The WTS has used children for years and years to take on the court system.

  First they started with the flag salute challenge back in the 30s and 40s. Did they care then if the legal system would traumatize those children? No. They didn't give a flying **** if the children would be traumatized by being pulled out of school, beat up, and then be taken to court to make sure the WTS won their court cases. They didn't care that their legal challenge resulted in one boy even getting castrated. They didn't leave it up to those kids to decide to go to court - they let those kids be charged and dragged into court.

  Then came the blood transfusion challenges. Does the WTS care about those children being traumatized by the court system? No. Of course not. The WT lawyers and blood police are there in a heartbeat when a child's life is in danger, filing court papers, putting the child through all sorts of legal hoops and processes, regardless of how traumatizing it is to the child facing death. They don't give the kid the choice to take it to court when it is their precious blood ban on the line.

  And now...to make the excuse that "it is up to the victim" because "the legal system traumatizes the victim". As though the WTS cares about the victim. They never have and they never will. Their history proves it. It is a pathetic excuse.
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  DATA-DOG

  WT: It's our right to go 25mph in a 25mph zone. It's the children's right to get the hell out of the street! After all, it's the responsibility of the parents to watch their children.

  If children are harmed while the WTBTS pursues its legal rights, those children and their parents are strongly encouraged to "turn the other cheek" and not insist on their "personal rights."

  When the "Satanic" media sheds light on the underbelly of the WTBTS, the WTBTS sings a different tune; one that praises "personal rights."

  DD