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Elders Are Investigators, Judges, and Psychologists
"Is it normal for a brother to touch her breast", the 16 year old asks of Rogier Haverkamp. In the middle of the street in a suburban residential area, the elder stops. Did he hear that right? Beside him is a young sister, with whom he has been in service proclaiming Jehovah's happy message.
"No absolutely not" he says.
The man is not only touching her says the girl. He has also touched others including Rogier’s daughter.
The events of that day in 1999 is the start of a difficult course for Haverkamp (now 53). The Flemish man has been a faithful witness of Jehovah in his congregation. He has been raised in the truth. At 18 years of age he was imprisoned for refusing military service - Jehovah's witnesses do not serve in the worlds armies. Neither did he.
In House Dealings
Haverkamp wants to investigate this abuse story thoroughly. With the same determination as he goes door to door, he visits brother Henry, who is accused of the inappropriate touching. "I immediately engaged 2 other elders as the case was serious enough", says Haverkamp 18 years later.
The handling of sexual misconduct is a problem within the association of Jehovah's witnesses. The handling of these cases takes place in-house and has traumatic consequences for the victims. This is the conclusion Trouw has come to after conversations with victims, members and ex-members. This article is the story of an ex-witness who tried to make a case out of this abuse story.
In a different edition of Trouw will be the story of Marianne de Voogd, regarding the abuse she suffered. Tomorrow is the story of Mark, a male victim.
These stories show that abuse victims do not get the help they deserve. The perpetrators are protected and not much is done to prevent it from occurring again. This creates an unsafe situation for children. The christian association - a sect according to some has approximately 30,000 members in the Netherlands and 25,000 members in Belgium and is also called the Watchtower Society.
Abuse is often swept under the rug, according to those involved. Even if someone would like to help a victim find justice, it is made impossible by the leadership.
Secret Manual
The instruction regarding abuse is written in a lot of secret documents,which this newspaper has copies of. A book titled: Shepherd the flock forms the basis. All elders get this book, they are the ones giving spiritual direction in the congregation. It is kept secret from anyone who is not an elder. Regular believers are unaware of the content of the book. In addition to the book there are hundreds of letters from the Governing Body, the highest leadership in the association. It is located in the USA and gives worldwide direction. The letters complement the elder handbook or provide adjustments.
In all of these documents the Jehovah’s witnesses state that they take child abuse very seriously and view it with disapproval. They handle child abuse cases internally; they believe that their own justice system is superior to that of society as a whole. As believers, they are only accountable to Jehovah for their actions. Not accountable to the world's justice system. Reporting of abuse is seldom done.
Convincing Evidence
After the declaration in service, Rogier Haverkamp looks for proof. According to the elder handbook, a confession from the perpetrator is necessary or the witness of at least two people. All 10 girls, Haverkamp speaks to confirm that Henry abused them: overwhelming proof.
There is a strong basis for a judicial committee: a group of elders that will judge the case. In the worst case, the perpetrator will be expelled . He is then no longer allowed to have any contact with the members of the congregation, not even if they are family. But this only happens if there is enough proof and the perpetrator is not remorseful. If he is remorseful than the Jehovah’s witnesses extend mercy and he is allowed to stay in the congregation but may have to give up some privileges. For example, he would no longer be allowed to pray publicly or have teaching parts. These rules are described in great detail in the elder handbook and the letters from the Governing Body.
The Committee
A committee has been put together to handle Henry’s case. When the elders of the congregation notify Henry of the accusation, he immediately gets his car. He drives to the Brussel Bethel—head office of the witnesses in Belgium—where he proceeds to cry and shows remorse for his actions and promises to never do it again.
A day after Henry went to the Bethel, Haverkamp is called by the Bethel overseer Louis de Wit. "The remorse Henry showed is sincere", judges de Wit according to Haverkamp. He remembers that de Wit charged them not to disfellowship Henry. The committee will decide that, Haverkamp objects, de Wit is not allowed to try to influence their decision. But the other two committee members give in to the overseer. Henry’s remorse is real they say. Because they are now in the majority, the case does not continue.
Haverkamp is furious. He remembers that during the conversations with Henry, he charges that Haverkamps' daughter is partially at fault as she seduced him. This means that his remorse is not real, charges Haverkamp. Someone who is remorseful does not try to blame others for their mistake and actions. Especially not the victim. The committee judges that Henry has to offer his apologies to the girls and proceeds to do so. Haverkamp does not feel that justice has been done. On top of that he fears that Henry will be a repeat offender in the future. "I thought, that the man needs help and the best way to give him help is to report him to the police."
Making a Report
Going to the police is not a normal practice for witnesses. The organization believes that it is unseemly to bring a brother before the court. Yet the instructions in the elder handbook state that a victim cannot be prevented from going to the police to make a report. This direction is immediately followed by the scripture: Gal 6:5: "For each one will carry his own load." In practice, victims and those involved are discouraged and sometimes forbidden from going the police, according to a majority of the victims and ex-elders who spoke to Trouw.
Another ex-elder, who handled an abuse case in the past stated that reporting to the police did not warrant consideration. No elder would take the initiative to make a report. We have to protect Jehovah’s name, to prevent a stain on his name. They are afraid to have their dirty laundry known by all. Because this ex-elder is still a witness, his name has been withheld.
No Report
The overseers at the Bethel heard a rumour that Haverkamp is considering making a police report about Henry. He is called right away. According to Haverkamp, overseer David Vanderdriesche tells him it’s not his job to go the police. If anyone is going to the police it should be the victim. And they should not be encouraged to go, says Vanderdriesche.
Haverkamp protests, something has to happen to protect the other children in the congregation. According to him, Vanderdriesche tells him straight up that the Bethel overseers have decided that no report is to be made. If he goes ahead, he, Haverkamp, will lose all of his privileges.
Haverkamp is an elder and has many leadership and teaching responsibilities. In addition he is a pioneer, a title you get when you spend more than 90 hours per month in service. Haverkamp: "I gave in to the pressure of that threat".
Neither De Wit, nor Vanderdriesche from the Brussels Bethel reacts to these events. The judicial department of the Brussels Bethel states that due to deontological reasons (ethical reasons) they cannot comment on specific cases.
Procedure
Rogier Haverkamp is serious in performing his tasks in his congregation. He is aware of all the rules, even teaches other elders. But even an experienced elder such as Haverkamp cannot explain the proper handling of abuse cases to himself. A diagram based on the elder handbook and the letters from the Governing Body, stretching over 5 pages, should convince him that he has not made any mistakes. The men who lead the committee and render judgement over intricate cases such as abuse, are electricians or bus drivers in their regular life. However for the Witnesses they are an investigator, judge and psychologist all in one. The elders are barely familiar with the rules says Haverkamp. "The majority of them are completely unsuitable to handle these cases. It's as if you ask a roofer, 'Would you like to be a judge?'"
Henry moves out of Vlaanderen after these events, although he remains a Witness. In the years that follow, he divorces his wife and marries someone else, he gets disfellowshipped because of this. In 2007, he wants to return to the congregation. Henry writes a letter to the Bethel in Brussels: I offer my sincere apologies for the sorrow I have caused in the congregation and on Jehovah’s name.
Sincere Apologies
Henry moves back to his old town but this time he visits a different congregation. Haverkamp is still in the same congregation and hears of Henry’s return and that he is studying with two young girls together with Henry's daughters.
Haverkamp is very surprised. He asks an elder in Henry’s congregation, if they are aware of his past child abuse. The elder is not aware of this and also does not believe Haverkamp. After he makes an inquiry, the city overseer confirms the truthfulness of the statement. Yet Henry is allowed to continue with his Bible study and the elders in Henry’s congregation are not made aware of his past. "I’ll keep an eye on him", says the city overseer.
Anyone who is accused of abuse, proven or not, has to be watched—so state the rules in the elder handbook. They are not allowed close contact with children; also in the case of a move, a file has to be sent along to the new congregation so they are aware of the situation—unless the Bethel decides after thorough examination that the perpetrator is no longer a danger.
Followup Report
In 2011, 12 years after that service day, Rogier Haverkamp leaves the Jehovah’s witness organization. He decides to report Henry. The police investigate. An inspector visits all the grown up women Henry abused. They are still Jehovah’s witnesses. It’s clear to the inspector that something happened, he tells Haverkamp. But none of the women wants to talk. They do not want to testify against their brother, they say. On top of that the abuse case is too old to go to court. The police even investigate if anything more recent has happened so a court case can still be made, but there is no proof to be found.
Rogier Haverkamp still regrets that he did not go to the police back then. Haverkamp: "I was of the opinion that the responsibility was de Wit and Vanderdriesche’s. I thought, I had to recognize their god-given authority."
(The names have been changed for privacy reasons. Their real names are known to the journalist.)
Archived Comments
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Comment by apollos0fAlexandria on 2017-08-05 11:12:24
Well, speaking from experience I don't doubt any of the key points in this newspaper report.
I found it particularly interesting that the initial Judicial Committee decision was essentially dictated by one person at Bethel. I know for a fact that this happens, although I prefer not to go into details for reasons of privacy. But the reality is that even if the JC procedure was scriptural (which it is not) then all the drama of at least 3 elders personally hearing the testimony in detail can be (and sometimes is) ultimately trumped by a single person (service desk or CO) who was not even present at the hearing.
That in itself makes a mockery of the idea that it's somehow based on scripture and reflects 1st century Christian justice.
Despite some changes over the last few years in official policy, when I talk to certain elders about the problem of how child abuse in general is handled, it's quite evident they still don't treat it as a crime - only a spiritual sin like fornication. And therein lies the problem. If elders cannot use their own power of reason in this matter, and the GB fails to make this criminal distinction loud and clear, then regardless of any policy changes to try and protect the organization, this problem is destined to persist.
Comment by simplyme on 2017-08-05 11:42:54
To me the worst thing about this is that the victims never get the help they sorely need. Obviously they don't get justice but these men are not qualified to help them emotionally. They actually make the victims situation worse and in the end discourage them from getting help.
This same attitude is displayed to people in general. They could be helping people but instead they stand in the way of a persons relationship with their Father and make them feel unworthy and unloved.
Comment by Justin Michesloff on 2017-08-05 12:13:02
I read with utter amazement this article to my wife which left us shaking our head!! I was an elder for 8 years during the 90's and dealt with 2 of such cases. I clearly remember thinking to myself when I received the "assignment" to be on the judicial committee that "thank goodness for my training because, as a machinist, I'm way over my head!!"
Turns out, regardless of the "training" I had, I was way over my head. Multiple calls were made to the societies legal dept., as we were trained to do, and basically the decisions were spoon fed to us. Although I didn't agree because even as a machinist, I knew right and wrong, I aquiessced to preserve my privileges.
Pan forward a few years and the situation hit much closer to home. The level of ineptitude in the elders (truck driver, janitor, and handyman) followed by my whole family basically being unofficially expelled really opened my eyes.
Too bad Romans 13:1-7 is not applied here, if it was just imagine the good name it would bring to the congregation. Likely (sorry, I had to throw that one in after years of conditioning) our King and Head of the Congregation Jesus would beam with pride as we would then be following the word and intent of the Bible.
Comment by Joseph Anton on 2017-08-06 09:39:34
My wife and I were recently watching a documentary where a 20 year old man was being interrogated by a sex crimes detective for a rape and murder. We both noticed how the detective never came at the kid from a position of judgment or even authority, she had been trained to simply discuss the most terrible aspects of human behavior with a tinge of empathy for the perpetrator, with something resembling understanding for his current situation. This is all a tactic of course. As is knowing exactly which questions to ask. It's to keep the information coming forth, to catalog evidencefor a trial, to set up logic traps and record any lies the perpetrator tells. To do this particularly awful job well these special investigators spend decades being trained by highly specialized instructors. Add to this the other side of the equation - those highly skilled, extensively trained counselors who deal with helping the victims of sex crimes cope in the aftermath - the brothers at the Kingdom Hall are woefully incompetent dealing with this kind of crime. Sex crimes takes about the same level of dedicated training as homicide investigation - are we saying that our elder bodies are equipped to investigate murders as well?