Posts by Zoos

37

Jehovah’s Witness jailed for sexual activity with a child

by LevelThePlayingField in

source: http://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/jehovahs-witness-jailed-for-sexual-activity-with-a-child-8997/.

a jehovahs witness from stratford who took part in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl has been struggling with those demons for the last seven or eight years, a judge has heard.. but pleas for craig allen, who was said to have support from the jehovahs witness congregation, not to be jailed cut no ice with a judge at warwick crown court.. the 43 year-old of evesham road, dodwell, was jailed for two years and eight months and ordered to register as a sex offender for life after he pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual activity with a child.. prosecutor andrew wallace said allen had met the girl in the mid-2000s through the church.. the girl, now a young woman in her 20s, said she began to fancy allen, who had started to pay her compliments.. then on one occasion when he gave her a lift, despite being fully aware she was only 15, allen sexually touched her.. she did not object or tell anyone what had happened, and there were further consensual incidents between them, including various types of sexual activity but not full intercourse.. someone who suspected what was going on between allen, a family man in his 30s, and the girl said something to her mother.. but when she challenged both her daughter and allen about what she had heard, they both denied it.. things stopped after the girl began to feel guilty about what was happening, and she eventually decided to come forward last year and contacted the police.. she said she had been dramatically affected by what had gone on, and that what happened with allen caused her to suffer a breakdown and still haunted her.. when allen was questioned by the police he accepted the incidents had taken place, but claimed it was the girl who had taken the lead.. elizabeth power, defending, said allen, who has a son and a daughter who were now both in their 20s, had attended for a voluntary interview with the police and made admissions.. he did not force himself on her but he was the adult and she was a child.

he says he was weak and was attracted to her.

Zoos

Even if a 15 year could legally consent to sex, it does not make this sort of relationship appropriate or healthy.

I agree 100%. What I question is whether it rises to the level of a criminal act.

My concern is, if we start coloring outside the lines on this issue it could have the effect of watering down the seriousness of REAL child molestation. I realize those line become a little fuzzy as the child becomes a teenager and I AM NOT QUALIFIED TO DEFINE THEM... but this particular case gives me pause.

37

Jehovah’s Witness jailed for sexual activity with a child

by LevelThePlayingField in

source: http://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/jehovahs-witness-jailed-for-sexual-activity-with-a-child-8997/.

a jehovahs witness from stratford who took part in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl has been struggling with those demons for the last seven or eight years, a judge has heard.. but pleas for craig allen, who was said to have support from the jehovahs witness congregation, not to be jailed cut no ice with a judge at warwick crown court.. the 43 year-old of evesham road, dodwell, was jailed for two years and eight months and ordered to register as a sex offender for life after he pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual activity with a child.. prosecutor andrew wallace said allen had met the girl in the mid-2000s through the church.. the girl, now a young woman in her 20s, said she began to fancy allen, who had started to pay her compliments.. then on one occasion when he gave her a lift, despite being fully aware she was only 15, allen sexually touched her.. she did not object or tell anyone what had happened, and there were further consensual incidents between them, including various types of sexual activity but not full intercourse.. someone who suspected what was going on between allen, a family man in his 30s, and the girl said something to her mother.. but when she challenged both her daughter and allen about what she had heard, they both denied it.. things stopped after the girl began to feel guilty about what was happening, and she eventually decided to come forward last year and contacted the police.. she said she had been dramatically affected by what had gone on, and that what happened with allen caused her to suffer a breakdown and still haunted her.. when allen was questioned by the police he accepted the incidents had taken place, but claimed it was the girl who had taken the lead.. elizabeth power, defending, said allen, who has a son and a daughter who were now both in their 20s, had attended for a voluntary interview with the police and made admissions.. he did not force himself on her but he was the adult and she was a child.

he says he was weak and was attracted to her.

Zoos

A 15 years old?

We're talking technicality of law here with the age of consent thing. It's different everywhere. While I believe it's inappropriate for a person 20 years older to mess with a 15 yo, what would your opinion be if the perp was 21? Would the girl still be a child victim?

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I can't just go by the numbers on this one.

22

Similarities between the Governing Body and an abusive spouse

by Zoos in

i was looking at a list of methods used by abusive spouses to manipulate and control their "domain" and was struck by how similar the mentality is to the governing body's approach to the flock.

obviously not everything on the list applies as there is no sexual component in the congregation and there is no physical contact, but the similarities were shocking.. http://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/domestic-violence-and-abuse.htm.

abusers use a variety of tactics to manipulate you and exert their power:.

Zoos

Mad Irishman, you'll be happy to know I respect your right to have an opinion. Hell, I even respect your right to express it because I am a really nice, non-angry person.

22

Similarities between the Governing Body and an abusive spouse

by Zoos in

i was looking at a list of methods used by abusive spouses to manipulate and control their "domain" and was struck by how similar the mentality is to the governing body's approach to the flock.

obviously not everything on the list applies as there is no sexual component in the congregation and there is no physical contact, but the similarities were shocking.. http://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/domestic-violence-and-abuse.htm.

abusers use a variety of tactics to manipulate you and exert their power:.

Zoos

"If you leave me, no one else will love you," sounds a lot like, "Where else will you go?"

22

Similarities between the Governing Body and an abusive spouse

by Zoos in

i was looking at a list of methods used by abusive spouses to manipulate and control their "domain" and was struck by how similar the mentality is to the governing body's approach to the flock.

obviously not everything on the list applies as there is no sexual component in the congregation and there is no physical contact, but the similarities were shocking.. http://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/domestic-violence-and-abuse.htm.

abusers use a variety of tactics to manipulate you and exert their power:.

Zoos

Another point the article brought out is that an abuser is able to stop his abusive behavior when it benefits him. I immediately thought of Geoffrey Jackson and how cooperative he was whit the RC.

22

Similarities between the Governing Body and an abusive spouse

by Zoos in

i was looking at a list of methods used by abusive spouses to manipulate and control their "domain" and was struck by how similar the mentality is to the governing body's approach to the flock.

obviously not everything on the list applies as there is no sexual component in the congregation and there is no physical contact, but the similarities were shocking.. http://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/domestic-violence-and-abuse.htm.

abusers use a variety of tactics to manipulate you and exert their power:.

Zoos

I was looking at a list of methods used by abusive spouses to manipulate and control their "domain" and was struck by how similar the mentality is to the Governing Body's approach to the flock. Obviously not everything on the list applies as there is no sexual component in the congregation and there is no physical contact, but the similarities were shocking.

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/domestic-violence-and-abuse.htm

Abusers use a variety of tactics to manipulate you and exert their power:

Dominance – Abusive individuals need to feel in charge of the relationship. They will make decisions for you and the family, tell you what to do, and expect you to obey without question. Your abuser may treat you like a servant, child, or even as his or her possession.
Humiliation – An abuser will do everything he or she can to make you feel bad about yourself or defective in some way. After all, if you believe you're worthless and that no one else will want you, you're less likely to leave. Insults, name-calling, shaming, and public put-downs are all weapons of abuse designed to erode your self-esteem and make you feel powerless.
Isolation – In order to increase your dependence on him or her, an abusive partner will cut you off from the outside world. He or she may keep you from seeing family or friends, or even prevent you from going to work or school. You may have to ask permission to do anything, go anywhere, or see anyone.
Threats – Abusers commonly use threats to keep their partners from leaving or to scare them into dropping charges. Your abuser may threaten to hurt or kill you, your children, other family members, or even pets. He or she may also threaten to commit suicide, file false charges against you, or report you to child services.
Intimidation – Your abuser may use a variety of intimidation tactics designed to scare you into submission. Such tactics include making threatening looks or gestures, smashing things in front of you, destroying property, hurting your pets, or putting weapons on display. The clear message is that if you don't obey, there will be violent consequences.
Denial and blame – Abusers are very good at making excuses for the inexcusable. They will blame their abusive and violent behavior on a bad childhood, a bad day, and even on the victims of their abuse. Your abusive partner may minimize the abuse or deny that it occurred. He or she will commonly shift the responsibility on to you: Somehow, his or her violent and abusive behavior is your fault

56

If Jehovah's Witnesses were a cereal, what would they be?

by Zoos in

cult flakes?.

.

(welcome to the height of intellectual thread topics.

Zoos

Sheesh! I never thought something so silly as this thread topic would garnish so much participation. I guess we all need a light-hearted distraction once in awhile, huh?

25

Hello. New here.

by ULFBERHT in

jw
friends

new around here.

wanted to say "hello".. +ulfberh+t.

Zoos

25 years... no family contact.... "Nah! Jehovah's Witnesses don't shun."

It amazes me how they can shamelessly deny this while staring decades of evidence in the eye.

Welcome, ULFBERHT.

21

A DAY IN THE LIFE

by Terry in

a day in the life.

i took a hot bath this morning.

then, after making my bed and saying "good morning" to my roommate, sana--i jumped on my bike and headed off to breakfast.sound exciting enough for you yet?

Zoos

Ah, touch therapy for pain management.

er...uhm... I mean... Praise Jesus!

You speak often of people simply approaching you. Does being such a familiar face at the coffee shop lend itself to being perceived as approachable, which clearly you are?

56

If Jehovah's Witnesses were a cereal, what would they be?

by Zoos in

cult flakes?.

.

(welcome to the height of intellectual thread topics.

Zoos

Overlapping Jacks