Yes, I know! To state the obvious, I realize how overdue this article is. It’s been a work in progress for many months now, in part because I have this very annoying perfectionist streak, which does not help! I also wanted to take the time to do the results of the 2018 Survey justice and looking back at all that happened during that year was quite the rabbit hole! The results of the survey itself are fascinating and if you would like to download the full results in PDF form, you can do so here:

As we review the year I have interspersed some of the statistics that came from the 2018 Survey below, so let’s begin!

2018 started explosively with the online release of confidential Watchtower child sexual abuse documents by non-profit organisation Faithleaks (now known as The Truth and Transparency Foundation). The 33 documents were a compilation of letters sent between Watchtower and individuals in the Palmer Congregation, Massachusetts, USA. They were a very distressing read to say the least, revealing the awful accusations of child sex abuse from three Jehovah’s Witness women against a Ministerial Servant in their congregation. Exposing a pattern of behavior that has become sadly predictable, the documents shed further light on the terrible mishandling of abuse by Watchtower. Jennings Brown, Senior Editor and Reporter at the Gizmodo website well summarized the 69 pages of documents, saying:

https://gizmodo.com/new-whistleblower-site-faithleaks-releases-confidential-1821799936?IR=T

The leaks became known as the “Palmer Leaks” and the Watchtower in Focus team devoted Episode 8 to discussing the previously confidential documents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxe-pnKv3n0.

However, Watchtower decided to launch the new year with a Watchtower study article discussed by all congregations in January 2018 that explained why the words of one of their songs had been changed. In the November 2017 Study Edition, the first article “Make a Joyful Sound!” stated in paragraph 17:

“The change of the title “Guard Your Heart” to “We Guard Our Hearts” was most considerate. Why? In the audience at our meetings, assemblies, and conventions are many new ones, interested ones, young ones and sisters who by singing the words would be put in the awkward position of telling others what to do. So the title and the lyrics were modified.” [italics ours] https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2017641#h=1:0

If only Watchtower gave as much careful attention and consideration to the protection of children and their internal policies of dealing with child sexual abuse accusations as they do the wording of their “Kingdom Melodies” and the terrible danger that women pose when it comes to singing words at men!

JW Survey’s Covert Fade covered this lyrical nugget in his article: https://jwsurvey.org/mind-control/watchtower-says-beware-danger-women-singing-instructions-men while Lloyd Evans explored the deeper underlying issues in his video on the John Cedars channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jZ2ERLa1lE

In the State of Delaware, USA, Jehovah’s Witnesses were fined and paid $19,500 for failure to report child sexual abuse. On January 18th, 2018 a formal agreement was signed between attorneys representing Jehovah’s Witnesses and the State of Delaware settling the case where two elders and one congregation were held responsible for withholding detailed knowledge of child sexual abuse. Included in the signing of the agreement was the stipulation that Jehovah’s Witness elders must comply with all Delaware statues involving the reporting of child abuse. In addition, the body of elders from the Laurel Congregation in Delaware were required to attend the Stewards of Children training program and to pay the associated costs. JWsurvey’s own Mark O’Donnell reported the details of this case: https://jwsurvey.org/child-abuse-2/jehovahs-witness-elders-fined-for-failure-to-report-child-abuse-watchtower-settles-with-delaware

Jennifer, left, and Martin Haugh sit for a portrait at their home in New Cumberland, Pa., on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Their daughter is pictured around age five in a family photo album. When their daughter was four, she was molested by a family member at their Jehovah’s Witness congregation in Red Lion. The couple has since left the Jehovah’s Witnesses, which urged them to keep the abuse a secret.
TIM TAI / Staff Photographer – The Philadelphia Inquirer

In September 2018, the December 2018 issue of the Watchtower Study Edition was released – and it outraged many. Within the pages of the study article “Honor What God Has Yoked Together” there was extremely disturbing and shocking advice for women who find themselves in domestic abuse marriages. The article confirmed that divorce is only permissible in cases of adultery. Separation is inferred as less desirable since a couple would still be marriage mates, albeit living apart. The article stated in paragraph 15: “if sexual immorality is not involved, the goal should be reconciliation. The two could seek Bible-based help from congregation elders. While the elders avoid taking sides, they could offer Scriptural advice.”

Leaving aside the painfully obvious lack of education and training qualifying elders to provide such mediation, the tone of the article appeared to praise those who remain with an abusive mate inferring that by doing so there is a chance of the unbelieving mate becoming a “true worshipper.” Also note that the scenario painted by Watchtower involves an unbelieving mate doing the abusing. Craftily, Watchtower sets the narrative and completely ignores and turns a blind eye to the many anecdotal cases of domestic violence involving believing Witnesses!

“17 Admittedly, there have been instances where an “unbelieving husband” seems to prove that he is not “agreeable to staying with her.” He might be extremely physically abusive, even to the point that she feels that her health or life is in danger. He might refuse to support her and the family or severely endanger her spirituality. In such cases, some Christians have personally decided that, despite what he might say, the mate is not “agreeable to staying” together and that a separation is necessary. But other Christians in comparably difficult situations have not; they have endured and tried to work at improving matters. Why? “

“18 In such a separation, the two are still marriage mates. If they lived apart, each one would face challenges, as mentioned earlier. The apostle Paul gave another reason for staying united. He wrote: “The unbelieving husband is sanctified in relation to his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in relation to the brother; otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.” (1 Cor. 7:14) Many loyal Christians have remained with an unbelieving mate under very trying circumstances. They can testify that doing so was worthwhile in a special sense when their mate became a true worshipper.​—Read 1 Corinthians 7:16; 1 Pet. 3:1, 2.” WT Dec 2018

The JWsurvey team receive countless emails from people telling horrific stories of domestic abuse from believers – and yet, in this article, Watchtower sidesteps this very real issue and places it in the realms of fantasy by only allowing for the possibility of domestic abuse in religiously divided households. Such advice, as seen in this article, is grossly irresponsible, damaging, harmful, and life-threatening. It reveals an organisation that is tone-deaf, ignorant and uneducated as to what domestic violence actually is and how it proliferates.

On September 26th, 2018, a Montana jury handed down the largest-ever punitive damages award for a single abuse victim. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, along with the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, were found guilty of both negligence and malice in connection with the intentional failure to file police reports on behalf of plaintiff Alexis Nunez and two additional victims. Four million dollars was awarded to Nunez on the count of negligence, followed by a 31 million dollar punitive verdict on the count of malice. Sadly, the jury’s verdict was later overturned on a technicality. Nevertheless, JWsurvey editor Mark O’Donnell was in the courtroom observing the proceedings and you can read his blow-by-blow account here: https://jwsurvey.org/child-abuse-2/jehovahs-witnesses-found-guilty-of-malice-and-negligence-victim-awarded-35-million-in-montana-lawsuit

The Watchtower in Focus team further discussed the Montana verdict in Episode 15: https://youtu.be/oaUK1gnVWu8

On November 13th, 2018, we all excitedly watched the A&E airing of Leah Remini’s: “Scientology and the Aftermath” Special Episode focussing on Jehovah’s Witnesses. For so many of us who have suffered abuse from cruel, cold and heartless Watchtower policies, it was cathartic and healing to see Leah use her formidable and informative platform to raise awareness of those abuses. You can stream the episode from aetv.com here: https://www.aetv.com/shows/leah-remini-scientology-and-the-aftermath/season-3/episode-0

To process and debrief the enormity of the special episode’s impact, the Watchtower in Focus team assembled to discuss this welcome exposure: https://youtu.be/WimTjKLjfGI

With the organization still reeling from the Aftermath Special Episode, on November 19th, 2018, Dutch police raided Watchtower’s branch office at Emmen along with two kingdom halls and a number of other properties connected to Watchtower – all with the aim of finding evidence of possible neglect concerning child safeguarding. Again, the Watchtower in Focus team came together to discuss the Dutch raids: https://youtu.be/NyRCU0Kl-Wo. They also had opportunity to talk with Neil Smith, a member of the legal team involved in the Montana case, who offered some very interesting insights into that case.

On a personal note, December 17th, 2018, was a special day for Sacha and I – as that was the day that Lloyd invited us to join the JWsurvey team. We both feel incredibly privileged to be a part of this hard working volunteer team and we very much enjoy our respective roles (my role as the Survey Editor and Sacha as the Aftercare & Support Manager) and the platform it affords us to do exactly what we want: to help as many as we can.

Finally, I would like to thank all of you for participating in the 2018 Survey and for your support of the Global Survey. 568 of you took the time to offer comments and suggestions and I read through them all – there are some excellent suggestions there so look out for a fresh 2020 Survey soon (and yes, I’ve noted the typos!).

Please be assured that you will not have as long to wait for the 2019 Survey results. I’ve been wanting to work on these for some time, but I first wanted to do justice to the 2018 Survey. The 2019 Survey shattered the record number of participants (2015 Survey had 6,083 respondents) with 7,180 taking part! I’m incredibly excited to share those results with you soon. In the meantime, please stay tuned for the release of the 2020 Survey. We want as many voices as possible to be heard and I very much look forward to hearing yours!

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