Lawsuit alleges church elder sexually abused youth. Updated October 11

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

https://knox.villagesoup.com/2021/10/09/lawsuit-alleges-church-elder-sexually-abused-youth/

Allegations also say other elders threatened to sue family of victim if they referred abuse complaint to law enforcement.

 

A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a local woman who said she was repeatedly sexually assaulted as a child by an elder at the Rockland Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Rockport.  The lawsuit was filed Sept. 30 in the Knox County court against the Rockport congregation and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.  The woman said she was molested multiple occasions between 1993 and 1996 when she was 11 to 13 years old. The victim disclosed to her mother about the abuse in 1996 and the mother immediately informed the other elders of the congregation, the lawsuit stated. Instead of investigating the allegations or removing the elder from his position, the elders threatened a lawsuit against the victim’s family if they went public. That pressure led the family not to report the abuse to law enforcement, according to the lawsuit.  Shortly after the woman reported the abuse, the congregation disfellowshipped her, with the elder who said she abused her being on the judicial committee that took the action.  Bigos said the Washington man who molested the young woman remains an elder and is the registered agent for the congregation.  According to the lawsuit, at age 17 the victim wanted to rejoin the Jehovah’s Witnesses along her with then-boyfriend but she was told she would need to recant her abuse allegation.  The lawsuit also alleges that Watchtower would issue policies to elders and among these recommendations were to report allegations of child molestation to Watchtower rather than law enforcement. The elders should also not warn the congregation of threats posed by an accused child abuser, and the elders should not cooperate when confronted with a search warrant but instead contact Watchtower.

Now whether this is hyped up, or if it's just advertising for the Laywers, or even if it's false news.

The point is that this CSA reporting against the JW Org is not going away. 

Will members of the public be 'turned off' from communicating with JWs because of this ? Especially as this Elder still holds his position in the congregation. Yes CSA IS everywhere, but that does not help the org. 

[Space Merchant]

This is an example of this specific church of the JWs not being equipped to deal with abuse, and the them or the mother clearly didn't bring up the police, but rather, a lawsuit. More so, all religious institutions are able to, even legally by some, to commit to internal investigation, but it seems CSA was unheard of by them; granted the situation with CSA in the 90s.

Despite the pressure, the family could have still went on to speak with law enforcement, people unequipped to deal with abuse should be a blocking factor, so there were clearly some missteps, despite the lawsuit, hence CSA in the 90s and how things were handled vs how things should not be handled.
Again, when an abuser holds some authority and or office be it in a church or a school, they can exploit their authority and the people around them, so the fact the JWs at that church were quick here, the abuser most likely had a hand in engineering things in his favor to evade consequence, and it seems be still holds that power despite not committing these acts, and her wanting to rejoin JWs is blocked because of her history with this abuser, another factor here also is newer JW elders, maybe some being equipped that can prove to be a wild card, if need be.

The good news is, this is in the hands of The Zalkin Law Firm, P.C., who operates in city I know well. However in most cases, those on the outside who weaponizes such cases, often times, make it worse for survivors, reasons why those who understand the law and justice system are usually the ones with good insight - which can be seen in various media of which discussion is available.

That being said, child abuse in the 90s was a bit looser compared to now, if anything similar to that of the 60s-70s. Moreover, CSA right now has taken a strange turn in the digital age, some of us, me included are now targets of those under Big Tech.

On 10/13/2021 at 4:38 PM, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

Now whether this is hyped up, or if it's just advertising for the Laywers, or even if it's false news.

The point is that this CSA reporting against the JW Org is not going away. 

Will members of the public be 'turned off' from communicating with JWs because of this ? Especially as this Elder still holds his position in the congregation. Yes CSA IS everywhere, but that does not help the org. 

Hype is only generated by those on the outside, those who see these cases and speak their mind, some of which, who do not know law, vs those that do.

It won't go away, abusers will continue to place schools and churches, and should they not be able to gain access to such, they will exploit other means, in some cases, in relation to rape/sexual penetration, in which the minor is to subsequently become a bride to an abuser.

Not really, there are those in the community, NY and the Tri-State area who know about JWs, they themselves know how bad CSA is, and know that everyone is effected, even Jehovah's Witnesses, at the same time, when it comes to Justice, mainly in New York, like I said before, it is a double edged sword/double standard, for it will be no surprise that people will begin to criticized even that for the family of the woman who was abused at a young age.

As pointed out before, abusers can exploit the system, as is, with those around them and or affiliated with. Most likely, he took some steps well ahead of the girl and her family prior to the lawsuit. Abusers who enact ill will towards someone will often times use things, even people against their victims, granted this was in the 90s, it was most likely extremely easy for him to do so, mainly in a time where CSA was in a sense, taboo to a degree.

I can tell you this now, there are complex events regarding CSA brewing, so this are going to get difficult for everyone, even JWs will be hit harder by this difficulty. Education is vital in this regard.