Is there, or has there ever been Congregational sanctions against a Brother or Sister for spousal abandonment?

[The Librarian]

Question submitted anonymously to @The Librarian

[JW Insider]

Yes.

A very close relative of mine abandoned her husband who was a ministerial servant and who is now an elder. He had beaten her several times, and he even sent her to the hospital once. The elders in her congregation warned her about bringing reproach on Jehovah if she were to explain to any hospital or law enforcement personnel that these injuries came from her husband. She was counseled to stay with him, continue to show a humble, meek, mild, obedient spirit, and thereby "heap fiery coals" upon his head to soften him. She could get through it by making sure she always did more in the field ministry (she was already pioneering), more prayer, more study, etc.  She obeyed the elders by not turning in her husband, but was angry enough at this overall directive to tell them know that she was leaving him right then instead of waiting until it happened again. She received a "public reproof" and was threatened with disfellowshipping. In her new congregation, the following month the elders got the recommendation to take away her pioneer "status" because of her willful and unrepentant choice to disobey the directives of the elders. Her husband was spoken to but not reproved or disciplined in any way that would have been discernible by the congregation as a whole. I called him from Brooklyn Bethel and threatened to send him to the same hospital where he would be free to let them know exactly what happened. I was never counseled over the incident. I prayed for forgiveness over my outburst of anger, but I'm not so sure yet that I am fully repentant.

[Guest Nicole]

I would have done the same, leave him, otherwise I would have ended in jail for killing him

@JW Insider for elders, the evidence from hospital, that he is a violent person,  does not have any value to the elders to remove him from his privileges?