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- Charges put focus on Jehovah’s Witnesses’ handling of abuseby historyofthewtbtsPennsylvania grand jury in recent months accused nine men with connections to the Jehovah’s Witnesses of child sexual abuse
- ‘We bought a shredder’: Jehovah’s Witnesses accused of destroying teen’s sexual abuse recordsby historyofthewtbtsRead the full story from the Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription), or MSN.com (free). In a lawsuit, Sarah Brooks says she faced retaliation from Witness leaders after she was sexually assaulted by two adults. The abuse lasted for more than a year, until Brooks… Read more: ‘We bought a shredder’: Jehovah’s Witnesses accused of destroying teen’s sexual abuse records
- 5 men used religious community to find victims, attorney general says—criminal charges filed.by historyofthewtbtsVictims and defendants in all five cases were members of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations; arrests follow sexual abuse charges against nine different members of Jehovah’s Witness congregations in October 2022 and February 2023 PHILADELPHIA– Attorney General Michelle Henry today announced the filing of… Read more: 5 men used religious community to find victims, attorney general says—criminal charges filed.
- Washington lawmakers propose bill requiring clergy to report child abuseby historyofthewtbts“Senate Bill 5280, and its companion bill in the state House (HB 1098), would make it illegal for clergy not to report sexual abuse allegations to authorities unless the information came in the form of a confession,” explains Wilson Criscione reporting for… Read more: Washington lawmakers propose bill requiring clergy to report child abuse
- Eight victims listed in sexual assault on a child case against Jehovah’s Witness elderby historyofthewtbtsColorado’s Teller County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Shawn Lance Swisher on Tuesday, a 60-year-old Jehovah’s Witness man, an elder, who is suspected of sexually assaulting a child in the Woodland Park area. “An arrest affidavit for a Florissant man arrested… Read more: Eight victims listed in sexual assault on a child case against Jehovah’s Witness elder
- Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announces charges against four Jehovah’s Witnesses for sexual abuse of minorsby historyofthewtbtsAll of the defendants’ victims were minors, as well as members of Jehovah’s Witness congregations. “These cases are disturbing, the allegations hard to imagine, and all share one common tie – the 19 victims and the four men who are being charged… Read more: Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announces charges against four Jehovah’s Witnesses for sexual abuse of minors
- “Anyone who works with children and does not report child sexual abuse should be prosecuted”by historyofthewtbtsFormer prime minister Theresa May told BBC News she had “no idea” of the scale of child abuse when she set up the inquiry in 2015. The public inquiry was given a broad remit to investigate historical allegations of child abuse, dating… Read more: “Anyone who works with children and does not report child sexual abuse should be prosecuted”
- How Washington State Law Lets Clergy Hide Child Sexual Abuseby historyofthewtbtsIn Washington, clergy — unlike teachers, physicians, and law enforcement — are not listed as mandatory reporters of child abuse or neglect. In 1975, Washington lawmakers removed clergy members from its mandatory reporter list leaving the state with one of the nation’s… Read more: How Washington State Law Lets Clergy Hide Child Sexual Abuse
- Jehovah’s Witness facing more than 50 sexual assault-related chargesby historyofthewtbtsSenior Jehovah’s Witnesses member charged with rape, torture and assault of teenage boys, the headline reads. Detectives fear there could be more victims and are urging anyone with information to come forward. View full news coverage The man, who cannot be named… Read more: Jehovah’s Witness facing more than 50 sexual assault-related charges
- Local Jehovah’s Witness Child Molester Goes on to Attend Insurrectionby historyofthewtbtsReporting by Amanda Gailey, SeeingRedNebraska.com Court documents show that elders at Crowl’s church–The Belmont Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Lincoln–had “investigated” the abuse claim in 2013, just to see if Crowl was in need of spiritual assistance. According to the documents, one… Read more: Local Jehovah’s Witness Child Molester Goes on to Attend Insurrection
- A little blue bird is tweet, tweeting about California… have you heard?by historyofthewtbtsJW elders in California say their hands are tied by state law when it comes to reporting "admitted pedophiles" because they risk facing jail time.They're willing to face jail for free speech and freedom of faith, but not when it comes to… Read more: A little blue bird is tweet, tweeting about California… have you heard?
- Follow the Telegraph’s Investigations team on their year-long hunt into the Jehovah’s Witnessesby historyofthewtbtsIntroducing Call Bethel, a new Telegraph podcast In August 2021, an email arrives in the Telegraph’s investigations inbox claiming the Jehovah’s Witnesses have a hidden database of alleged abusers. The reporters start on the trail… Brave whistleblowers. A trail of data. A… Read more: Follow the Telegraph’s Investigations team on their year-long hunt into the Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Listening to Lacie Jonesby historyofthewtbtsLacie Jones suffered abuse at the hands of her stepfather: ‘He was seen as a very pious man, a very moral man’. Listen to the story of Lacie Jones in this new Telegraph podcast that investigates the inside story of child sexual… Read more: Listening to Lacie Jones
- Religious organisation has kept details of molestation accusations over the last 25 years at its headquartersby historyofthewtbtsOne such allegation was from Lacie Jones, pictured as a child, whose stepfather, a senior Jehovah’s Witness, was recently jailed for abusing her when she was younger. The Jehovah’s Witness organisation has amassed a secret database of child sexual abuse allegations against… Read more: Religious organisation has kept details of molestation accusations over the last 25 years at its headquarters
- Tim Stier, a former Catholic priest writes his farewell letter, regarding the handling of children and other elements of love…by historyofthewtbtsEditor’s note: This story was updated to clarify the details of who administered communion to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The diocese “didn’t know what to do with me,” Stier said. “They were hoping I’d come back. I was a well-respected, competent pastor.” Crying… Read more: Tim Stier, a former Catholic priest writes his farewell letter, regarding the handling of children and other elements of love…
- Barbara Anderson’s Dateline Diaryby historyofthewtbtsBarbara is truly a heroic individual to those of us who feel strongly about the abuses of Watchtower and seeing them brought to the light. Twenty years ago today, Barbara appeared on Dateline and launched the exposé uncovering the hidden documents the… Read more: Barbara Anderson’s Dateline Diary
- La Gobernadora Hochul Firma La Ley De Sobrevivientes Adultosby historyofthewtbtsFaculta a los sobrevivientes de delitos sexuales que ocurrieron cuando tenían más de 18 años para presentar una demanda independientemente de cuándo ocurrió el abuso La ventana retrospectiva de un año comienza seis meses después de la firma La Gobernadora Kathy Hochul firmó hoy… Read more: La Gobernadora Hochul Firma La Ley De Sobrevivientes Adultos
- Statute of Limitations eliminated for 1 Year in New York to file civil lawsuits against sexual abusersby historyofthewtbtsPlease share this news with everyone you know——let all the New Yorkers hear worldwide: The Adult Survivors Act gives a one-year window to file a lawsuit after the statute of limitations has passed. This act has eliminated the New York Statute of… Read more: Statute of Limitations eliminated for 1 Year in New York to file civil lawsuits against sexual abusers
- Judge sentences 2 JW elders to court supervision and community service for failing to report a child who was being sexually assaultedby historyofthewtbtsThese elders only got court supervision, a $250 fine, and 10 hours of community service. I sincerely hope the community service is something worthwhile, and not “letter writing” or “cart witnessing”. They should be serving jail time! Hernandez-Pedraza threatened to kill the… Read more: Judge sentences 2 JW elders to court supervision and community service for failing to report a child who was being sexually assaulted
- Jehovah’s Witnesses elders guilty of failing to report sexual abuse of 6-year-old child: Elders face up to one year of jail timeby historyofthewtbtsBy Amanda Marrazzo, Shaw Local News A McHenry County judge ruled Friday that two Jehovah’s Witnesses elders are guilty of “knowingly and willfully” failing to report to authorities in 2006 that a 6-year-old child in their church was being sexually assaulted by a… Read more: Jehovah’s Witnesses elders guilty of failing to report sexual abuse of 6-year-old child: Elders face up to one year of jail time
- Detectives believed there were still more victims from Escobedo’s time as a Jehovah’s Witness.by historyofthewtbtsEscobedo was already facing 15 charges ranging from annoying or molesting a child to possession of child pornography to rape. But detectives believed there were still more victims from Escobedo’s time as a Jehovah’s Witness. “Our investigation led us to believe there… Read more: Detectives believed there were still more victims from Escobedo’s time as a Jehovah’s Witness.
- Silent Witnessesby historyofthewtbtsFor Jehovah’s Witnesses, an insular culture and archaic rules have created a “recipe for child abuse.” A second was all it took. A second was all he needed. The little girl was 4, round-faced and freckled and dressed in her Sunday best.… Read more: Silent Witnesses
- DEAD: America’s Most Wanted, accused Jehovah’s Witness child molester Frederick Cecil Mclean found dead, a.k.a. “James Fitzgerald”by historyofthewtbtsThere “may be other victims out there,” said U.S. Marshal Steve Stafford of the Southern District of California. Frederick McLean’s decomposing body was discovered on November 6th in his home in Seneca, South Carolina (Source: U.S. Marshal Service) where he had been… Read more: DEAD: America’s Most Wanted, accused Jehovah’s Witness child molester Frederick Cecil Mclean found dead, a.k.a. “James Fitzgerald”
- Bearing Witness: Exposing the secretive world of the Jehovah’s Witnessesby historyofthewtbts“Everybody thinks that Jehovah’s Witnesses are just lovely people, friendly, nice-looking people, maybe a bit quirky, who knock on doors. And it’s very difficult to help people understand just how dangerous this group is.” Former Jehovah’s Witness
- Escaping Jehovah’s Witnesses: Inside the dangerous world of a brutal religionby historyofthewtbtsFormer Jehovah’s Witnesses are fighting back against a religion that failed them. They know they’ll lose their loved ones for doing so.
- Jehovah’s Witness Suspected of Failure to Report Crime in Kazakhstanby historyofthewtbtsVIDEO I received the message below today in its entirety as it’s seen below and the article mentions my name: “I knew that such trials about pedophilia have been going on abroad for a long time, American Barbara Andersen even created a… Read more: Jehovah’s Witness Suspected of Failure to Report Crime in Kazakhstan
- Are Jehovah’s Witnesses “morally failing” children?by historyofthewtbtsBBC: Religious groups in UK failing children over sex abuse, report says The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), having examined 38 groups, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, said some religious organisations in England and Wales were “morally failing” children. See also, How… Read more: Are Jehovah’s Witnesses “morally failing” children?
- There was no reprimand, nothing changed’: Survivors criticise Jehovah’s Witness elders for failing to act over child sexual abuse claimsby historyofthewtbtsThe Jehovah’s Witnesses church says its elders “endeavour to comply with secular laws about reporting allegations of abuse” – but survivors say that does not necessarily translate to helping the authorities. “I don’t like the way he touches me.” That is how… Read more: There was no reprimand, nothing changed’: Survivors criticise Jehovah’s Witness elders for failing to act over child sexual abuse claims
- The Truth Projectby historyofthewtbtsA REPORT FROM THE UK The Truth Project offers victims and survivors of child sexual abuse the chance to share their experiences and be heard with respect. It is part of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. Your experiences and suggestions help… Read more: The Truth Project
- Crusaders: Ex Jehovah’s Witnesses Speak Out (2021)by historyofthewtbtsWith Barbara Anderson, Gary Breaux, Asher Candor, Candace Conti. Whistleblowers in a crusade to expose allegations of abuse and mind control within a global religious organization—the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/vice-versa-crusaders-director-talks-confronting-jehovahs-witnesses-with-child-sexual-abuse-cover-up-claims-its-about-corruption-1234981182/
- Louisiana Lookback Lawby historyofthewtbtsLouisiana passed a child sexual abuse bill on June 14, 2021. The new law eradicates the deadline for sex abuse victims to seek damages and establishes a three-year “lookback” window where all unresolved claims, no matter how long ago they were made,… Read more: Louisiana Lookback Law
- 2021 Louisiana Legislature Passes Bill For Child Sex Abuse Survivorsby historyofthewtbts
- Sweeping inquiry targets clergy sexual abuse in Wisconsin, regardless of when it occurredby historyofthewtbts(2021) Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced the state Department of Justice plans to conduct a sweeping inquiry into clergy and faith leader abuse in Wisconsin. The investigation will provide a confidential means for victims to report sexual abuse by clergy or… Read more: Sweeping inquiry targets clergy sexual abuse in Wisconsin, regardless of when it occurred