Victims call for Congress to probe clergy sex abuse

by candidlynuts 11 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  candidlynuts

  http://news.bostonherald.com/politics/view.bg?articleid=83596

  Victims call for Congress to probe clergy sex abuse By Marie Szaniszlo
  Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - Updated: 02:28 AM EST A group of victims and their supporters are lobbying for congressional hearings into clergy sexual abuse, a crime that occurs in every religion, often facilitated, they say, by laws that vary from state to state.
  

  ``If they heard what I've heard, I believe Congress would be blown away,'' said John Harris, who says he was raped when he was a 21-year-old college student by the Rev. Paul Shanley, one of the central figures in the Archdiocese of Boston's scandal.
  Harris was one of a half-dozen people who met Monday with U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston) to urge him to call for bipartisan hearings into the ``epidemic'' that became national news in 2001 with Boston's scandal, but is hardly unique to the Roman Catholic Church. Two former Jehovah's Witnesseses, for example, told Lynch how they were shunned when they spoke out against abuse in their own church.
  Yesterday, the congressman said it was ``too early to say what the best course of action is,'' but called their cases ``compelling'' reasons for considering a national approach, such as changing the federal statute of limitations for rape.
  The group would also like Congress to consider raising or doing away with limits on the amount for which a religious institution may be held liable, and revoking the tax-exempt status of any religious group that conspires to conceal abuse.
  ``Our goal is the safety of future generations of children, who right now are being victimized by pedophiles hiding behind religion,'' said Robert Costello, who says he was raped as a child by a priest at a West Roxbury parish.
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  minimus

  Actually these two "former" JWs actually are not disfellowshipped and are currently still Jehovah's Witnesses. This meeting with the Congressman might actually lead to something BIG!
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  candidlynuts

  revoking the tax-exempt status of any religious group that conspires to conceal abuse

  i think out of all the consequences this is the one that will make the wtbs stand up and take notice!
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  undercover

  revoking the tax-exempt status of any religious group that conspires to conceal abuse

  Proving that a religion "conspired to conceal" is the hard part. It would be tied up in the courts for years. Gives em time to come up with a new strategy and lie to tell the followers.
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  minimus

  If the policy of the WBTS can be shown to be concealing abuse, then this can be used. With all the JW suits out there, I'd think that is being pursued.
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  candidlynuts

  i know its a small story but the fact that it DID make the news, and that these people are so brave to pursue this quest is a big deal! i applaud them and hope they get congress to consider it. wouldnt it be great if they can change the statute of limitations? not just jw's but get laws that will make a dent in ALL sexual abuse from clergy will be a great victory.
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  minimus

  I know these JWs and they are very sincere dedicated, intelligent people.
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  undercover

  If the policy of the WBTS can be shown to be concealing abuse, then this can be used.

  The WTS has it set up that the elders will take the heat for concealment, not the Society. Showing that elders concealed abuse will not be that hard...proving that the WTS conspired to conceal will be much harder.

  We all know the Mafia exists, breaking them up and taking them all to jail has proved to be very difficult. We know the WTS conceals abuse, proving that they conspired to do so on purpose and continue to do so will be the trick.

  Don't get me wrong, I hope they get found out, but being the realist that I am, I think it will be some time before anything like that could happen to the WTS. They've got the lawyers to fight it for years and it won't cost them any legal fees because they home grow their own lawyers.
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  Eyebrow2

  taking away the tax free status is a great idea.

  Anyone see the law and order episode when the used the ricco laws to subpeona the catholic church to open its records on abuse victims? The mafia comment made me think of it.

  Perhaps we need to all write to our congressman and ask them to take a look at this too. The government really needs to crack down on these crimes not being reported.
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  wiegel

  bring it!