False Dates Slideshow

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Jehovah's Witness Elders Accused Again of Failing To Report Pedophile!!

Lori Coolican , Canwest News Service

Published: Monday, October 20, 2008

SASKATOON - Two women who were sexually abused in their adolescence by a trusted older relative say elders of the small-town Jehovah's Witness church in which they were raised did not report the situation to police after he admitted touching them inappropriately during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

"We were left to endure years of guilt and shame," one of the women wrote in a victim-impact statement read aloud by Crown prosecutor Krista Zerr during the man's sentencing hearing in Saskatoon Court of Queen's Bench on Monday.

"I felt like damaged goods."

Due to a publication ban on information that could identify the victims, the convicted man's name cannot be published. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault earlier this year, on what was supposed to be the first day of his trial. In exchange, the Crown dropped charges of sexual interference and sexual touching, as well as a charge related to a male complainant.

Both victims, now ages 31 and 32, testified against the man at an earlier preliminary hearing. They did not attend court Monday. Justice Neil Gabrielson reserved his decision on the man's sentence until Nov. 21.

The two women grew up in a town of about 500 people, east of Saskatoon, and were not allowed to associate with anyone outside their religion, except during school hours, court heard. They frequently spent time at the home of the older relative and his wife, who were church members in their early 20s at the time.

"We trusted them, as Witness families would," the victims' father told the preliminary hearing, according to Zerr. "We assumed (the girls) were in a safe environment."

During one such visit, the man's wife suggested the girls allow him to give them "oil massages," Zerr said. One of the victims, who was 13 or 14 years old at the time, told court the massage involved lying face-down on the couple's bed with the door closed, naked from the waist up. It ended with him fondling her breasts repeatedly.

Her sister testified the man touched her breasts and vagina on several occasions when she was at the couple's home, starting when she was 12 years old.

The girls were given vodka to drink on some of their visits, and were invited more than once to try on pieces of lingerie belonging to the man's wife, who sold it as a source of income, court heard.

After telling each other about the abuse, the two sisters informed their parents. Their father confronted the man, who did not confirm or deny what had happened, and the matter was subsequently reported to church elders, Zerr said.

"There was no report to the police at that time."

Instead, the man received a lecture from the elders, and many in the community rallied around him because he regularly attended church meetings - while the girls were "treated like troublemakers" and encouraged to let the whole thing go, one of the victims wrote.

Their father and their abuser later became "dear friends, and would go for coffee daily," a situation which continues to this day, she added.

"We were trash-talked and slandered throughout the community . . . the religion abandoned us."

The Crown is seeking a jail sentence of two years less a day - which means the man will likely avoid a penitentiary term - while defence lawyer John Will argued Monday for a conditional sentence to be served at home.

Will gave the court several character references in his client's favour, signed by fellow church members and others, including the town's mayor.

Aside from "some serious mistakes many years ago," the man has led an "exemplary" life, Will said.

Saskatoon StarPhoenix 2008

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=c9d1bb57-3db6-4c5d-81d1-6f70fd9f1b4d
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Mister Lorenzo here to say that this sort of activity is not only criminal but immoral. How can an organization that breaks so many civil and moral laws and still say it is God's Theocratic Organization? Something must be done to stop the abuse of our children by these monsters.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

How is it the elders responsiblity?

The article said:
"After telling each other about the abuse, the two sisters informed their parents. Their father confronted the man, who did not confirm or deny what had happened, and the matter was subsequently reported to church elders, Zerr said."

It is the sisters and the parents' responsibility.

Something tells me that the situation is not what it seems as it says:

"Their father and their abuser later became "dear friends, and would go for coffee daily," a situation which continues to this day, she added"

Thus your blog is just against JWs but not for the truth.

Unknown said...

Elder must protect the sheeps but they failed to do that when they knew that happened.

Watchtower is guilty. It's agents -the elders- failed to protect the little kids.

They must pay an stop receiving money from the witnesses.

Mister Lorenzo said...

Anon said: "After telling each other about the abuse, the two sisters informed their parents. Their father confronted the man, who did not confirm or deny what had happened, and the matter was subsequently reported to church elders, Zerr said." How is it the elders responsiblity?

Hello Anon, first let me thank you for sharing your view. I appreciate your point and feel I need to respond to you directly.

After dealing with elders over many issues I can guess what happened. They told the brother to shut up so as not to bring reproach on the congregation.

I believe that when there is a charge brought, it MUST be answered to. The elders have no true authority, training, or capacity to deal with such crimes. They should refer the case to the police immediately.

I believe it has brought more reproach to Jehovah's Holy Name to cover up these cases than could ever happen if things were handled properly.

I am not against JWs, Anon. I am against the abuse of Jehovah's people by anyone who is posted over them to protect them.

Again I thank you for your post and wish you well. May Jehovah richly bless you in Jesus name.
-Mister Lorenzo

Anonymous said...

The abuse these 30-something women experienced occured when they were preteen and young teen. Laws about reporting this to the law may have been different back then. I don't know.

What astounds me is the treatment these TWO (as in TWO witnesses) girls received by the 'good' members of Jehovah's Witnesses who claim that they are the "Truth" brecause of the "love" they have for each other.
(If that' what they call love they can forget about preaching to me.)

But what are we to make of the current Jehovah's Witnesses writing campaign to DEFEND a man CONVITED of sex crimes against pre teen girls (and apparently at least one boy)?

Not only did the leaders of Jehvoahs Witnesses knowingly send a man accused multiple times of sexually molesting children to knock on your door telling you your religion doesn't meet God's standards, but not they want to assure the Court that this CONVICTED VIOLATER OF CHILDREN is a good guy because HE'S ONE OF THEM!

Lock your door--these people are SCARY!

Anonymous said...

"...THE MAN'S WIFE SUGGESTED the girls allow him to give them "oil massages," ...the massage involved lying face-down ON THE COUPLES BED with the door closed, naked from the waist up. It ended with him fondling her breasts repeatedly.

Her sister testified the man TOUDHED HER BREASTS AND VIGINA ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN SHE WAS AT THE COUPLE'S HOME, starting when SHE WAS 12years old.

The girls were given vodka to drink on some of their visits, and were INVITED more than once to try on pieces of LINGERE BELONGING TO THE MAN'S WIFE..."

This woman is deeply involved in what happened to these girls (and probably in the gossip that ruined their faith and lifes as well). When will charges be brought against HER?

gods child said...

Just reporting it to the elders seems normal. I was a J,W, I was smart enough to see that everything was about the man. Women who went to elders were usually ripped apart. Protect their power hungry buds sounds just about right. I can tell you some very disturbing stories about my fellow sisters dealing with the elders. Victomization of women and girls after sexual assault is very common in our society anyway.And the father of the girls forgiving the guy again normal jehovahs wittness man. where was the mother ? This story sound just about right to me.