I didn't go to the first Sunday(7/14/19) Meeting discussing "Child Abuse". But I did ask a Sister who I work with: How did it go at the Watchtower Study yesterday? She said: "I cried throughout the meeting". I said Why? Her reply: "when I was 15, married Brother F, who was taking a shower at our house(he was doing repair work at the house with her brother), came to my room with a towel wrapped around his waist(her brother was in the shower), and he made me watch him watch him masterbate to completion, hoping that I would be turned on and do the same in return in front of him.
I was on that Committee the reproved Brother F. Our young Sister was as innocent as they come. At this point, I apologized to her for my lack of apathy and sensitivity. I explained the mindset of the Elders. "First of all, the Elders are not Doctors or skilled Therapists. In fact, all those on the body of Elders are just High School graduates! And second, I hate to say this, but our thinking was, He didn't touch her, no harm, no foul".
I then asked her: " How come your dad didn't call the police?". Her reply, "The Elders told him there was no need to report this to the police, because the discipline from the congregation would be enough".
I decided to go to this past Sunday Meeting for the lesson on "Comfort for victims of Child Abuse". I first noticed that almost half of the congregation was missing. As the lesson got going on, Two Sisters in front of me got up at least five different times, wiping their tears away. It was quite a distraction. After the meeting, many in the congregation went over to these two hugging them and comforting them. To be continued...