How to Report a Jehovah's Witness Child Molester
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How to Report a Jehovah‘s Witness Child Molester
There is a great concernwithin the organization among fellow brothers and sisters as to what to do whenthey find a pedophile in their midst. The dilemma is further escalated with the policy elders are required toenforce which allows molesters to remain innocent and unknown to fellow members,thus putting their children at risk. Inmany cases elders protected their children while following directives on“confidentiality” and allowed other children in the congregation to bemolested. Recently a pioneer sister wasremoved for simply trying to alert other brothers and sisters to a man that hadmolested multiple children. Why? Elderswere simply enforcing policy that requires them to silence anyone unless twocredible eye witnesses can testify to the guilt of a child molester. The elder’s hands are tied by this policy andthey have little in the way of options to take appropriate action as they arerequired to obey the directives given by the Service and legal Departments orface removal and possible expulsion.
The Watchtower has had a longstanding policy that was actually stated after we required them to. Any member in good faith can report toauthorities the criminal act of child molestation. You just cannot tell anyone in thecongregation or face punishment. Sincethe inception of Silentlambs we have helped hundreds of brothers and sistersreport pedophiles in their respective congregations without being disciplinedor disfellowshipped. How do you do this?
Please carefully follow theseguidelines for the best results. Theimportant factor to remember is to make it a matter or record. When this is done it opens the door forpresent or future prosecution. Pleaseunderstand that not all allegations are prosecuted and your effort may be moremaking it a matter of record to protect children in the future. In any event it can remove a tremendousamount of responsibility from your shoulders and allow you to move forward knowingyou have done the best you can to see that this person is prosecuted.
The first step is to write astatement with the date, your name and contact information at the top. Next write the names of all victims involved,the dates, times, and extent of each abuse occurrence. Include the name of the molester, theiraddress, and where as far as your knowledge they are currently located. Add the names of anyone else that might knowof what happened and their contact information. Further details as to any elders names involved in the investigation andany other information that relates to the crime should be given. Sign it.
Make four copies of thisstatement and at the bottom make a “cc”. This means carbon copy of all whom the statement was sent to, after the“cc” write, Service Department Jehovah’s Witnesses, Body of Elders (Name ofmolesters congregation), and Police Department. Three copies are sent and the fourth you keep as your personal copy. Send the letters certified mail with returnreceipt requested. Why? On severaloccasions brothers and sister have written the Service Department about suchmatters and they will routinely claim they never got the letter, this way theycannot say that. The Police Departmentaddress should be the one in the community where the child molester iscurrently residing as well as the congregation. The address of the Service Department is: 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn NY 11201.
Doing this will require theorganization to take action, it will give the police the authority toinvestigate, it will automatically put the local congregation on notice thatthere is a molester in their midst, and most importantly is will help you toknow you have done all you can do to bring this person to justice. If you are a former Jehovah’s Witness thesame guidelines can apply. It is nevertoo late to make known a pedophile. Statistics show the average pedophile will abuse two hundred children intheir lifetime. If you make the reportyou will be protecting children you will never meet. We hope this information is helpful and ifyou need assistance to write the statement or have any questions on how to dothis please contact Silentlambs.org / 877-982-2873 we will be happy to providesupport.