ENGLAND
The Sun
November 20, 2017
By Felix Allen
Victims say the secretive organisation instructs members not to report crimes to the police
CHILDREN who were raped and abused by Jehovah’s Witnesses were told by church elders not to report it because it would shame the religion, it is claimed.
Victims from across Britain have told the BBC how they were routinely abused – but it was hushed up by the secretive organisation.
One victim, Louise Palmer, said she was told reporting her rapist brother to police would “bring reproach on Jehovah”.
The 41-year-old, formerly of Halesowen, West Mids, was born into the organisation along with her brother Richard Davenport, who started raping her when she was four. He is now in jail.
She said of the moment she went to elders: “I asked, ‘what should I do? Do you report it to the police, do I report it to the police?’
“And their words were that they strongly advised me not to go to the police because it would bring reproach on Jehovah.”
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