Family Survivors Report Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Within Jehovah’s Witnesses Church

A former Jehovah’s Witness elder revealed the organization’s failure to address widespread sexual abuse within its ranks, describing a culture of secrecy and denial that protected perpetrators (Proverbs 31:8-9).

The man, who was raised in the faith from age five, recounted being sexually abused by an older member of the church as a child, a trauma that left him too ashamed to speak out at the time.

Years later, he discovered his own daughter had also been a victim, leading to a crisis within the congregation that failed to support the child, instead dismissing her claims as false (Ephesians 5:11).

Despite the abuse, the man’s loyalty to the organization led him to cut off his daughters, fearing repercussions for his faith, even as he watched them suffer in silence.

The abuse eventually led to legal action, with the perpetrator found guilty, but the former elder said his faith was ultimately broken when church leaders urged him to abandon his family to maintain his position.

Jehovah’s Witnesses have faced scrutiny globally for their handling of abuse cases, with courts in the UK and Australia finding the organization complicit in failing to report alleged abusers to authorities.

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Source record preserved at time of reporting.