by thom 18 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
NBC Dateline-Witness to the Prosecution-Read Transcript Spanish Transcript view Video- A Video- B
DATELINE Correspondent John Larson spoke with victims, their families, and former church officials. JR Brown states. "We have a very aggressive policy on child abuse." A young sister is given death threats from her local congregation after reporting a confessed child molester. William H. Bowen uses term "Pedophile Paradise" for the first time to media.
(05/28/2002 )
WHERE was it announced, i wonder?
I'm pretty up on such stuff, for obvious reasons, and I"VE never seen it...
kdn
Thanks for all the comments.
I've always been under the impression that the elders will report only if legally required to, otherwise not. But the surprise to me was that it sounded like he (friend in email) was saying that a JW should report, whether they're an elder or not. I've just assumed that it was discouraged to report it, but if they're announcing it that sounds different.
I wonder if it's just a response to news reports (probably) and to keep out of legal trouble. I doubt it's any concern for individual, just legal concern (in my opinion).
The email came from NY state (not Brooklyn). As of last year when I left I don't ever remember hearing anything about the subject at the KH. But maybe I wasn't paying attention (likely).
Elders used to actively discourage JWs from going to the police... now they tell the JW it us their own choice if they tell the police.
The gotcha is that if the accused molester does not confess to the elders or there are not two witnesses, the person who reports the accused to the police is subject to being DFed for slander.
---"The gotcha is that if the accused molester does not confess to the elders or there are not two witnesses, the person who reports the accused to the police is subject to being DFed for slander."---
That's what I was thinking, Elsewhere. I'm thinking that they're just saying to go to the police as a legal tactic. Like in Bulgaria saying those who take blood are not df'd. But they end up da'd so what's the difference? Just playing with the laws to keep out of legal trouble.
What's sad is my friend just eats it up thinking there's no issue. He's not in that circumstance (gladly for him and his family), so he may never know what really happens.
I guess the reality of how they're handling the subject is getting more clear to me now.
Unofficially, they tend to heavily remind accusers about the consequences of Bringing Reproach on Jehovah™.
The above statement is the bottom line. They care more about this then the poor child that was brutally raped and scarred for life. What a bunch of unloving, unchristian a**holes!!
It was announced...?
You know if the JW community is actually serious about something then the WT Society puts it in print and distributes it widely. Anything short of that is simply anecdotal bs. Cults are full of that.
I have been hearing two stories about this and don't know which is truth or which is fiction because I have never had to find out (thank God because nobody wants to face this).
Just recently I spoke informally to an elder about this matter in a "what if" kind of conversation and he told me that "of course I should report it to the police...". But I wonder what the reality would be if it actually happened. Would they be singing a slightly different tune? Would they be so happy for me to go to the police? Or, would they very desperately try to stop me with twisted reasoning?
I wouldn't even tell them til later. I would be calling 911 and it would be in the hands of the police.
I was going to comment, but the idea that they would even have to announce from the platform that is is policy to report this to the police and the idea that hey have such control over someone that that person would have to ask the society/elder's/congregations permission to report such a violation.......and then to think the WTBTS would hold to the two witnesses need rule..or the victim would have to go before the JC and maybe be df'd...MAKES ME SICK. I am so very thankful I faded and did not raise my son or daughter in this cult.
