silent witnesses

BBC Panorama investigates a world-wide religion that stands accused of shielding abusers: the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Their programme tells the stories of children put at risk by the Watchtower Society's bible-based policies and reveals evidence of a database of members suspected of child abuse - many of whom have never been reported to the police.

The organisation claims to monitor the men accused of raping and molesting children but now faces allegations that it covers up crime and pressurises victims not to go to the police.

Panorama takes its evidence to the heart of the organisation and reveals the damage caused by the silent witnesses.

"By covering it up they just h...

silent witnesses

BBC Panorama investigates a world-wide religion that stands accused of shielding abusers: the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Their programme tells the stories of children put at risk by the Watchtower Society's bible-based policies and reveals evidence of a database of members suspected of child abuse - many of whom have never been reported to the police.

The organisation claims to monitor the men accused of raping and molesting children but now faces allegations that it covers up crime and pressurises victims not to go to the police.

Panorama takes its evidence to the heart of the organisation and reveals the damage caused by the silent witnesses.

"By covering it up they just hurt one person. By letting it out, then they hurt the image of the church," says Bill Bowen, who has spent his lifetime as a Jehovah's Witness and nearly twenty years as an elder. However, even if the elders cannot take congregational action, they are expected to report the allegation to the branch office of Jehovah's Witnesses, and may be required by law to report even uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations to the authorities. In this case, they are expected to comply.

The Jehovah's Witnesses publicity information also states that the victim may wish to report the matter to the authorities, and it is his or her absolute right to do so.

The the police had been the last to know.

The Jehovah's Witnesses deal with child abuse according to principles they interpret from the Bible.

They stress the need to "abhor what is wicked", but after applying two very specific verses of scripture.

First, if any allegation is made against someone, that person must confess or there must be two witnesses to the act for it to be proven:

"No single witness should rise up against a man respecting any error or any sin... At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses the matter should stand good." (Deuteronomy 19:15)

hé - i guess i see the children as being our global responsibility. like for the american statistics suggesting a decrease in violent sexual crime in the USA, so i would be grateful to hear that all that smoke was just an election fire, or some loose missiles....but that's not what i read, even today.
that's the point of asking the questions. so i reply to your australian outrage on the clip on "rape & child abuse", on the page of children in danger, everywhere. it seems from what i read, which stands to be corrected, is that there is a problem in most places in the world from domestic violence, to worsening degrees. crimes of poverty. i can clip u any country if u wish, where i will also t...

hé - i guess i see the children as being our global responsibility. like for the american statistics suggesting a decrease in violent sexual crime in the USA, so i would be grateful to hear that all that smoke was just an election fire, or some loose missiles....but that's not what i read, even today.
that's the point of asking the questions. so i reply to your australian outrage on the clip on "rape & child abuse", on the page of children in danger, everywhere. it seems from what i read, which stands to be corrected, is that there is a problem in most places in the world from domestic violence, to worsening degrees. crimes of poverty. i can clip u any country if u wish, where i will also then be standing on some one's toes, if i try to ask," what is the situation like for the children, who have no real interest in debating politics, but just want to be be able to live & have a childhood? there" Ideological warfare is futile. Instead u have a chance to say what you are saying, with the great waves of name calling & pc journalist ratings included, & i will either reply on the comments or re-clip australia - thus strengthening the focus instead of moving on.
For the record, if the reporting bias seems anti-australian, i apologise. The news reports seem favourably inclined....

The officers will provide families with support including a safe environment for children and referrals for both men and women to domestic violence services.

The system has been trialed in the Armadale and Cannington districts over the past five years and the government says it has resulted in a dramatic drop in incidents of domestic violence.

The program will now be extended across Perth.

Last year there were more than 31,000 reported cases of domestic violence in WA.

The Minister for Police Rob Johnson says research shows that a staggering 25% of young people witness violence against a parent at some time. My only intent here is to find a solution, in each & every case, every time. .char

india http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/02/24/2499471.htm

Slumdog hit highlights children's plight in India

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/23/2498223.htm

a study on stress from abuse

Stressful hormones

University of Newcastle professor of prenatal and infant psychiatry, Louise Newman, says if children are abused early, they are flooded with stress-related hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

"This impacts directly on how the brain develops and the stress regulation mechanism," she says.

"It becomes highly stressed so it's like setting the thermostat on high - setting up a system which regulates stress less efficiently.

"It impacts on the area which controls feel...

india http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/02/24/2499471.htm

Slumdog hit highlights children's plight in India

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/23/2498223.htm

a study on stress from abuse

Stressful hormones

University of Newcastle professor of prenatal and infant psychiatry, Louise Newman, says if children are abused early, they are flooded with stress-related hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

"This impacts directly on how the brain develops and the stress regulation mechanism," she says.

"It becomes highly stressed so it's like setting the thermostat on high - setting up a system which regulates stress less efficiently.

"It impacts on the area which controls feelings, so they're more likely to be highly stressed, have difficulties with anger and emotions, and be prone to self-harm, anxiety, suicide and depression."

I am sure u can understand analogy here, to speak the unspeakable, one must find words. Images that can be seen by the mind, & be taken in. The too ghastly to even look at will still be there, but maybe a little less hidden.