Understanding Sex Abuse in the Jehovah’s Witness Community
Jehovah’s Witnesses and their parent organization, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, have faced scrutiny for how they’ve handled allegations of sexual abuse. Survivors say the organization fostered a culture of secrecy and protected abusers.
Over 1,800 reports of child abuse by more than 1,000 suspected abusers within the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been documented by the organization itself, according to an investigation.
Jehovah’s Witness sexual abuse lawsuits claim:
- Church elders failed to report abuse to law enforcement, choosing instead to handle allegations internally
- A database of accused abusers was kept hidden from authorities and the public
- Abusers were able to access children through congregation events, church duties, and home visits
- The “two-witness rule” prevented perpetrators from being held accountable unless two people directly witnessed the abuse
- Survivors were silenced or discouraged from coming forward
“The details of these crimes are sad and disturbing, facts which are made even more abhorrent because the defendants used their faith communities or their own families to gain access to victims.”
– Michelle Henry, Former Pennsylvania Attorney General
To date, over $100 Million has been paid out to survivors of Jehovah’s Witness sexual abuse.
If you or a loved one was harmed by a member of the church, we may be able to help you hold both the individual and the institution that enabled them accountable.
Jehovah’s Witness Sexual Abuse Settlements & Verdicts
Survivors of Jehovah’s Witnesses sexual abuse often carry lasting emotional and psychological scars. While nothing can undo the pain, financial compensation may help ease the burden and hold those responsible accountable.
Thanks to extended statutes of limitations and special provisions in some states, survivors may still be able to pursue justice even decades after the abuse occurred.
$40 Million Sexual Abuse Verdict & Jehovah’s Witness Settlement
In 2023, a Hawaii Circuit Court awarded $40 Million to a woman who was sexually abused at age 12 by Kenneth Apana, a Jehovah’s Witness elder in the Makaha congregation. The abuse occurred at sleepovers at Apana’s house in 1992.
Court records showed that Apana had sexually assaulted girls for at least 23 years.
The verdict held Apana personally accountable. Claims against the organization resulted in confidential Jehovah’s Witness sexual abuse lawsuit settlements.
$35 Million Jehovah’s Witness Abuse Lawsuit Payout
A Montana jury ordered the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to pay $35 Million to a 21-year-old woman who alleged that a relative sexually abused her in the 1990s and 2000s.
After multiple reports were made to church elders, the abuser was expelled from the congregation in 2004 but reinstated the next year, allowing the abuse to continue, according to the lawsuit.
Jurors found the Watchtower negligent, awarding $4 Million for her injuries and $31 Million in punitive damages. While the verdict was later overturned, the case drew national attention to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ handling of sexual abuse reports.
$28 Million Jehovah’s Witness Abuse Verdict
A California jury awarded $28 Million to a woman who was sexually abused at ages 9 and 10 during door-to-door ministry by Jonathan Kendrick in the 1990s.
Despite prior reports that Kendrick had previously molested a 13-year-old girl, the Watchtower’s secrecy policy allowed him to reoffend within the same congregation, according to testimony.
The woman said the abuse caused her to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The verdict included $21 Million in punitive damages to punish the Watchtower for its wrongdoing.
$13.5 Million Awarded in Jehovah’s Witness Sexual Abuse Case
A California court awarded $13.5 Million to survivor Jose Lopez after finding that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society failed to protect him from abuse.
Lopez was sexually assaulted in 1986 at age 7 by Gonzalo Campos, an adult mentor recommended by Linda Vista Spanish congregation elders. Six other men and one woman abused by Campo also sued the Watchtower and received Jehovah’s Witness abuse settlements.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Joan Lewis called the Watchtower’s actions “reprehensible and reckless.” The ruling sends a strong message about institutional responsibility and shows that religious organizations can be held accountable for causing harm.
No matter what state the abuse occurred in or how long ago it happened, it’s worth reaching out to a Jehovah’s Witness sexual abuse lawyer at Sokolove Law to see if you may be eligible to file a claim.
Our team is here to listen, support you, and help you understand your legal options at no cost.
Call (866) 418-2146 now to see if you may be eligible for a Jehovah’s Witness settlement. It costs nothing to speak with us.
Billions Recovered Nationwide
At Sokolove Law, we’ve recovered over $10.5 Billion for thousands of injured clients nationwide. Let us get you the results you deserve.
