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Allegations of Jehovah’s Witnesses engaging in child sexual abuse are not new. Reports dating back to the 1990s have accused the organization of facilitating and covering up acts of abuse. Leaders in positions of trust acted inappropriately with children in their care, while others took steps to ensure the incidents did not become public.
If you are a survivor, now is the time to learn more about Jehovah’s Witness sex abuse lawsuits. You could be entitled to financial compensation even if you were abused years ago. You need not assume you have missed your opportunity to seek justice. Discuss your options with a compassionate attorney today.
There are congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world, and allegations of widespread sexual abuse have been made against many of them. Most allegations have in common that reports of child sexual abuse were made to church elders but never acted upon or forwarded to law enforcement.
The congregational judicial policies of Jehovah’s Witnesses operate on a two-witness rule. This rule states that in the absence of a confession, two witnesses must testify that a congregant committed a serious sin, such as sexual abuse of a child. While the church states that this policy has no bearing on whether a crime is reported to authorities, experts argue that the lack of mandatory reporting and the use of the two-witness rule has led to thousands of cases of abuse going unreported.
The church’s own records seem to bear out this argument. In 2015, it was discovered that records existed of thousands of alleged sexual predators within the movement, relating to crimes against children dating as far back as 1950. None of those incidents were ever reported to the police.
The extensive level of abuse and the widespread failure to report it to authorities has led to multiple recent sex abuse cases involving Jehovah’s Witnesses.
In the United States, there have been a number of lawsuits related to child sexual abuse against the Watchtower Society—the organization that oversees the operations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Millions of dollars have been awarded to survivors across the country, including in Hawaii, California, and Montana.
In most of these cases, the Watchtower Society argued that they have no obligation to report incidents of sexual violence against children, as they consider the details confidential. Some states provide an exception to mandatory reporting laws that shield communications to church elders, even when there is evidence of ongoing abuse.
State governments have come to realize in recent years that it takes time for some survivors of child sexual violence to come to terms with what happened to them. Often, it is not until they reach adulthood that they realize they were victimized or that they have the opportunity to seek justice.
Because of the complex nature of these crimes, legislatures across the country are extending the statute of limitations for cases involving child sexual abuse. While states generally require an injury lawsuit to be filed within a few years after the incident occurs, some jurisdictions are extending that deadline or removing it entirely in these cases.
Never assume it is too late to pursue a claim against Jehovah’s Witnesses for sexual offenses. The team at Phillips Law Group is here to help during this challenging time.
If you were victimized during your time as a Jehovah’s Witness, you deserve justice. Despite the challenges of holding such a large organization accountable, Phillips Law Group can help. Call today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about Jehovah’s Witness sex abuse lawsuits.
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