In the final installment of my story, I am done with my local congregation now. In the past month, I have been DF'd, un-DF'd attended a meeting where I shook everyones hand and smiled ... and now I have sent everyone in the hall this letter, roughly 60 addresses:
OPEN LETTER TO THE NORTH CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
Dear member of the North Congregation of Halifax, NS,
As a member of this congregation, I am writing you in an attempt to make changes regarding how the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses handles matters regarding child sexual abuse. I am writing this, not in an attempt divide the congregation, but to protect the children within it.
As a child, I was sexually molested by a congregation member. No, it was not within this congregation, however, as you and I know, congregational policy and procedure is directed from the same source for all congregations, therefore all congregations have the same, or similar policies regarding this matter. Because I was the only witness to the event, and because as a 12 year old child I would have been required to make my accusation face-to-face to my abuser (which I was unwilling to do at the time) no action was taken against my abuser, and he is still an active member in his congregation today. Despite mandatory reporting laws in Ontario, the elders that took my accusation didn’t report my abuse to the authorities. No one will know about the accusations that I made against him, not even his wife, so as to protect their own children. The last time I saw my abuser, was 6 years ago at a congregation picnic, playing with young children. Who is playing with your children? I personally know 5 other Jehovah’s Witnesses who have experiences identical to mine. How widespread is this problem? Across Canada and the US, there are too many accounts that have been made public to count, however please look at www.silentlambs.org for more information regarding how big of a problem this actually is.
The problem with pedophiles in the congregation is the reason that my wife is no longer willing to be associated with Jehovah’s Witness and why I will refuse to bring my children to a Kingdom Hall. They must be protected, and I am not confident that they will be at the Kingdom Hall, or at social functions with other Jehovah’s Witnesses.
You may ask, “Why am I receiving this letter? What does Sean want me to do about it?” Well, that is a very good question. First and foremost, talk about the situation with others. That’s the only real way for this problem to be fixed, and for you to educate yourself on how widespread the problem actually is. Second, write a letter to the Watch Tower Society to request clarification by means of a public written publication, that specifically tells its readers to go to the police first with any matters relating to sexual abuse of children. Elders are untrained volunteers, who do not know how to properly investigate charges of sexual abuse. Also, going to the elders first may result in the destruction of DNA, perhaps ruining the only evidence that the police could use to prosecute a pedophile. If the pedophile repents, and the congregation forgives a pedophile, then that’s great, however let these “brothers” serve time in prison too! That’s part of repentance.
Thank you for your understanding regarding this important issue.
Sean Polden
I'm done with the local group now. I've made the elders feel like asses in front of the hall and now have let everyone know where I and my family stand. It feels good to leave on my own terms.
Kwin