https://www.revealnews.org/blog/jehovahs-witnesses-settle-lawsuit-alleging-coverup-of-child-sex-abuse/.
by trey bundy / february 17, 2017 .
the jehovah’s witnesses settled a lawsuit this week brought by a pennsylvania woman who says the religion’s leaders covered up sexual abuse she suffered as a teenager.. the settlement came five days into a trial in which stephanie fessler, a former jehovah’s witness, claimed the religion’s parent corporation violated pennsylvania’s child abuse reporting laws by instructing local leaders – known as elders – not to report her allegations to police.. according to fessler, a middle-aged jehovah’s witness woman, terry monheim, began sexually abusing her when she was 14. at 15, fessler disclosed the abuse to her parents.
Fessler’s parents informed other congregation elders, who interrogated Fessler and Monheim but failed to report the abuse to police. As a result, Monheim continued to abuse Fessler for another year, according to court documents.
As a result of the parent's failure to protect their child.
https://www.revealnews.org/blog/jehovahs-witnesses-settle-lawsuit-alleging-coverup-of-child-sex-abuse/.
by trey bundy / february 17, 2017 .
the jehovah’s witnesses settled a lawsuit this week brought by a pennsylvania woman who says the religion’s leaders covered up sexual abuse she suffered as a teenager.. the settlement came five days into a trial in which stephanie fessler, a former jehovah’s witness, claimed the religion’s parent corporation violated pennsylvania’s child abuse reporting laws by instructing local leaders – known as elders – not to report her allegations to police.. according to fessler, a middle-aged jehovah’s witness woman, terry monheim, began sexually abusing her when she was 14. at 15, fessler disclosed the abuse to her parents.
the religion’s leaders covered up sexual abuse she suffered as a teenager.
Since it is axiomatic that it is US law that protects child abuse communications in a c/p setting, that allegation is a blatant lie and a miscategorization. Coverup implies wrongful conduct. WT compliance with US law under wt version of c/p is not cover-up.
Are active child abusers that confess under the secrecy of a Catholic confession a cover up? Not under US law it is not. However, even under such a setting and relationship does not make it automatically qualify, it can be challenged, and it has.
And therefore the contention against the WT is not the congregant's protection under the First Amendment, but qualifications under a JC setting under the circumstances of a given case.
day 5 in court - and apparently the plaintiff stephanie fessler has decided to settle..... http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/02/jehovahs_witness_sexual_abuse.html.
jehovah's witness sexual-abuse-coverup lawsuit settled.
february 13, 2017 at 2:37 pm, updated february 13, 2017 at 2:44 pm.
Would it please you if wt did things like Babylonia? or your way? Child abuse non-disclosure is good for you then. As it is good for you now - except for wt way of doing things.
To you: "Abortions should be done in secret, this clinic that I hate is not doing abortions the way I like it. Everybody else that I like qualifies except the clinic that I hate"
day 5 in court - and apparently the plaintiff stephanie fessler has decided to settle..... http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/02/jehovahs_witness_sexual_abuse.html.
jehovah's witness sexual-abuse-coverup lawsuit settled.
february 13, 2017 at 2:37 pm, updated february 13, 2017 at 2:44 pm.
It is US law that protects confidential c/p conversations of child abusers not wt.
It is US legislation that considers the conversation between elder and jw as C/p not wt. wt views it as elder/ jw.
It is hypocritical and funny that you do not object to US law that protects all penitents including child abusers.
You really don't care about children at all because if you did your beef would be about the law that protects penitents and not about wt not qualifying.
As a wt hater, your only concern is that child abuser comunications with elders should not qualify, that is it. Let the abusers join another religion and confess to them the proper way and the he-- with the children.
It does not mattter to you about the children as long as the abusers confess correctly to the clergy of babylonia.
That is the real issue with you. That is what you have expressed, that jw elders in a jc setting do not qualify as clergy in a spiritual setting and not that all communications about child abuse in any setting or relationship should be disclosed regardless of qualifications.
You target wt and not US law which protects child abuse communications in a c/p setting Your true motive being revealed by your expressions is to punish the wt regardless of justice. What hypocrisy and unfairness!
day 5 in court - and apparently the plaintiff stephanie fessler has decided to settle..... http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/02/jehovahs_witness_sexual_abuse.html.
jehovah's witness sexual-abuse-coverup lawsuit settled.
february 13, 2017 at 2:37 pm, updated february 13, 2017 at 2:44 pm.
What I find incredible is how people only object to the setting. I suppose it would be ok for some people if a person confessed child abuse to a Catholic priest or a pastor or somebody else other than a jw elder. That is ok as long as that person remains secret about it. Say a couple of hail maries and hush is the word and that is ok vs the same man confessing the sin under a JC setting, that is not ok. Makes a lot of sense.
day 5 in court - and apparently the plaintiff stephanie fessler has decided to settle..... http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/02/jehovahs_witness_sexual_abuse.html.
jehovah's witness sexual-abuse-coverup lawsuit settled.
february 13, 2017 at 2:37 pm, updated february 13, 2017 at 2:44 pm.
Gotta love Watchtower Speak and how they have bent word usage to their standards
Says you.
Read US Legislation and not public opinion.
Isn't that sort of the same as saying...ummm...apples (aka oranges/pear
Not according to US law. But you are entitled to your view. This is not the proper forum to verify whether or not JW religion enjoys clergy/ penitent privilege. But according to US legislation they do! And opinions do not matter. Same as Roe vs Wade and same sex marriages. It is the law of the land..... at least for now.. laws can change you know -but not because someone thinks it is not the law.
And if you can show US law stating that Jehovah's Witnesses do not enjoy clergy/penitent privilege, produce it.
day 5 in court - and apparently the plaintiff stephanie fessler has decided to settle..... http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/02/jehovahs_witness_sexual_abuse.html.
jehovah's witness sexual-abuse-coverup lawsuit settled.
february 13, 2017 at 2:37 pm, updated february 13, 2017 at 2:44 pm.
If JW religion confidentiality privilege finds it way up to the SCOUS. JW will win, but what will remain undecided and points of contention are the 2 points I have described.
day 5 in court - and apparently the plaintiff stephanie fessler has decided to settle..... http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/02/jehovahs_witness_sexual_abuse.html.
jehovah's witness sexual-abuse-coverup lawsuit settled.
february 13, 2017 at 2:37 pm, updated february 13, 2017 at 2:44 pm.
We know that down the line a confession will be shared with others, this reference seems to indicate that in order to keep the privilege they must remain secret.
And what is the legal meaning of that? The State Court determines on a case by case basis whether or not any challenged church communication meets the legal standard for confidentiality under the related STATE LAW. The California case that you cite was adjudicated under the laws of California and not under Federal Law.
STATE LAW vs The US Supreme Court however has not decided on Elder/ JW communication confidentiality as not being secret -or more importantly, not protected under the constitution or federal law because of the manner JW handles judicial cases (aka clergy/ penitent) does not comply with a LEGAL standard.
day 5 in court - and apparently the plaintiff stephanie fessler has decided to settle..... http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/02/jehovahs_witness_sexual_abuse.html.
jehovah's witness sexual-abuse-coverup lawsuit settled.
february 13, 2017 at 2:37 pm, updated february 13, 2017 at 2:44 pm.
Hecce,the only points of contention that the Court looks at and rules on, on a case by case basis is:
1) The setting: Does the communication setting qualify in this particular case for C/P privilege
2) In what capacity was the clergyman acting at the time of the communication.
day 5 in court - and apparently the plaintiff stephanie fessler has decided to settle..... http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/02/jehovahs_witness_sexual_abuse.html.
jehovah's witness sexual-abuse-coverup lawsuit settled.
february 13, 2017 at 2:37 pm, updated february 13, 2017 at 2:44 pm.
Two cases in California destroyed the so called clergy privilege of the WT.
No, it does not. As described in your post referenced above, the Court's adverse ruling affecting C/P privilege in the related setting for this particular case does not destroy WT (JW religion) C/P privilege. The ruling only affects the communication setting for this particular case only. The confidentiality of.JW Elders and Penitents going to them for a spiritual purpose continue to be protected under Federal Law..
