Numerous survivors of sexual assault committed by members of the Jehovah’s Witness religion say they often receive a common response from church elders, which allegedly is to shame the victim and virtually ignore the allegations against the alleged pedophile.

Church sex abuse allegations that happened even decades ago may result in a Jehovah’s Witness settlement due to many states enacting new laws that allow a window of time for such civil suits.

Jehovah’s Witness database of molesters

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is the nonprofit corporation that has funded Jehovah’s Witnesses since 1884.

Concerned about potential legal fallout, the corporation sent a letter to its congregations in 1997 that provided specific instructions on handling allegations of child molestation committed among the ranks of its members, reports The Atlantic.

The letter reportedly told church elders to answer a dozen questions about such allegations, including whether the accused perpetrator had been previously accused of sexual abuse and if anyone else knew of the abuse. Elders were instructed to complete the questionnaires, keep a copy locked in their own confidential files, never to discuss it with anyone, and to mail the original questionnaire back to the Watchtower home base in a specially provided blue envelope.

Today, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society allegedly holds a Microsoft SharePoint database that includes more than 20 years’ of data on accused pedophiles within the Jehovah’s Witness religion. According to The Atlantic’s 2019 report, the corporation has never complied with court orders to release the contents of the database, which could help convict tens of thousands of abusers.

Even though a jury awarded one abuse survivor a $35 million Jehovah’s Witness settlement in 2018, the church won an appeal of that decision several months later by successfully arguing their elders were exempt from mandatory reporting laws.

Jehovah’s Witness cover-up

Internal rules and philosophies among the Jehovah’s Witnesses seem to allow abuse to easily be covered up.

Reportedly, one of the rules is that unless a perpetrator confesses to committing a sin, two people must witness the commission of the sin. In most cases of child sexual assault, the pedophile commits the heinous acts when alone with the child.

When one woman tried to convince church elders that she was sexually abused as a child after her abuser’s name was included on a federal registry of sex offenders, the elders basically shrugged their shoulders and said she needed another witness to the abuse.

Another issue that hinders the reporting of child sexual abuse is the Jehovah’s Witness view that child abuse is not a crime, but rather a sin, according to a former elder of the congregation who shared his experience on the online platform Reddit in 2016.

Going by the moniker Ohmyjw, the former elder said that he found the Jehovah’s Witnesses “basically value the ‘good name of the organization’ more than the safety of children.”

He went on to write: “They are hiding child abuse on a grand scale (in Australia alone a Royal Commission unearthed over 1800 cases of child abuse among Jehovah’s Witnesses, none of which was reported to the authorities by them).”

Jehovah’s Witness abuse stories

In response to Ohmyjw’s post, another Reddit user responded that his own grandfather was a Jehovah’s Witness elder who admitted to molesting and raping more than 20 victims. The grandfather reportedly was moved to other congregations every time his crimes became known. One time, his title of elder was taken away, but only for around six months. The man’s victims were encouraged to forgive him, not to report to the authorities and not to “slander” the man’s name within the congregation. Some of the victims allegedly received punishment for tempting their abuser into committing a sin.

One woman told The New York Post that one of her first memories is of sitting on the lap of a Jehovah’s Witness elder in the back seat of her family car. She was only around 2 or 3 years old, but recalls the man fondling her. Heather Steele, now 48, said she was 10 years old when she told her mother about the abuse. Her mom didn’t report the abuse to the authorities, and went to church elders instead. The family was told that church elders doubted the abuse ever occurred, but was more likely something they made up in their minds or through having bad dreams. The elders suggested praying for the perpetrator.

Steele said her mother and father eventually reported the abuse to local authorities, and her abuser served a prison sentence of less than four years. After his release, Jehovah’s Witness church leaders placed him with a congregation that was in another state. Steele is hoping for a Jehovah’s Witness settlement or a win in court in her current lawsuit against the church.

Filing a Jehovah’s Witness sexual abuse lawsuit

A growing number of current and former Jehovah’s Witnesses are coming forward with allegations of abuse within the organization. Similar allegations are being brought forward in a number of religious institutions across the country, from the Catholic church to the Mormon church.

Many states have recently expanded their statutes of limitations, allowing survivors more time to come forward with claims. Some states have also instituted look-back windows, allowing those with claims of past abuse for whom the statute of limitations has already expired to file claims during this period.

If you or someone you love has suffered from Jehovah’s Witness sexual abuse, or from abuse within another church or religious organization, you may be able to file a lawsuit against not just the perpetrator, but the organization as well. Of course, a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by abuse, but it can at least help to provide some compensation, as well as hold those responsible for the abuse accountable for their actions and inactions.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.