It depends on the situation - if the victim is a minor then absolutely - it should be reported to the police immediately.
if it's a case of historic abuse and the victim is now older then it's up to the victim.
by stuckinarut2 33 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
It depends on the situation - if the victim is a minor then absolutely - it should be reported to the police immediately.
if it's a case of historic abuse and the victim is now older then it's up to the victim.
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.
How Watchtower words instructions..
Often has another meaning,only a "Loyal WBT$ JW" would understand..
"It is the victims right to approach the authorities" during all the abuse claims.
Translation:
Yes, if a victim, or their family approach the authorities and ignore the "elders" direction, they WILL be treated badly.
They will be labelled as being "brazen" or "lacking humility by not following theocratic direction" (whatever that is supposed to mean!?)
WE KNOW the reality of the situation in the society! You do as you are told by the elders and the CO and branch.
I challenge anyone from the society to say it isn't so.
stuckinarut2 - "...I challenge anyone from the society to say it isn't so."
Hmph.
With a straight face, anyway.
StarTrekAngel - "...'it is our right to DF them if they do so'. Last part usually omitted."
At present, they don't even need to do that (although I'm sure some will, under the "causing divisions" or "brazen behavior" clauses).
As per the grudging admission of one of the WT reps at the Aussie RC, "whistleblowing" - i.e. reporting wrongdoing on JWs' or the Org's part to the secular authorities - is now a disassociating action (like celebrating Christmas or accepting a transfusion)...
...no judicial committee - and therefore no disfellowshipping - even necessary.
Vidiot
As per the grudging admission of one of the WT reps at the Aussie RC, "whistleblowing" - i.e. reporting wrongdoing on JWs' or the Org's part to the secular authorities - is now a disassociating action (like celebrating Christmas or accepting a transfusion)...
...no judicial committee - and therefore no disfellowshipping - even necessary.
Can you give me more details? A link, etc... That's crazy
Agree with what skimthesurface posted.
It's the responsibility of the victims - and anyone else who knows, such as parents, elders - to go to the police.
Nobody in their right mind needs a 'Legal Branch' to tell them this.
Prompted by some further research I have just done into this topic, I had to bump this thread.
I just read quotes from elders letters issued through the last decade about "keeping matters confidential" to protect the reputation of the Organization!
Cant the Almighty do that himself?
I was a manager in a hospital and somebody else's staff member called me to talk. I had never met this person and she didn't report to me, but she heard maybe rebel8 would listen.
I went to her and she had been attacked by a patient. I think she had an injury but was still able to work. She had told her manager she wanted to file a police report--this patient did this deliberately. Her manager replied that she was free to file a police report if she wished, but she would not be aided by the hospital.
IIRC, they even discouraged her from calling the police to the hospital, suggesting she do that outside of work.
While this is true, the employee really needed the support of someone in management. She was quite disturbed about the incident. The hospital's response made her feel concerned she would be punished for reporting it. She reasoned that if the hospital was so cold as to not even support her as she had the courage to have the perp prosecuted so he never did it to someone else, then they must actually not want her to report it.
While the statement in the OP (that victims have the right to report the crime themselves) may be factually true, the failure to offer support in that process probably does have the same effect. Add to that the borg's pervasive history of punishing victims, and you can imagine the victim's concerns.
and (while I hold in my vomit..) "trust in Jehovah"...
In all the abuse accounts I have seen none have mentioned if the victim ever conceived. How would the 'loving' org treat such a one then.?