Victims Defined

Who are Victims of Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Dr. Steven Hassan using the BITE model identified Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religious high-control cult. Persons who experience the harmful and negative effects of Jehovah’s Witnesses are called Victims of Jehovah’s Witnesses. These harmful and negative effects are listed below.

Harmful and negative effects of Jehovah’s Witnesses (the religion) are defined (but not limited to) as follows. Some effects can be mitigated if the victim returns to the religion but without first experiencing said traumatic, harmful effects; others are permanent and irreversible:

1. Shunned by family and friends of the religion (unless they return to the religion)
2. Social Isolation by family and friends of the religion (unless they return to the religion)
3. Parental Alienation (unless they return to the religion)
4. Ostracized by family and friends of the religion (unless they return to the religion)
5. Termination of Employment
6. Termination of Rental Lease
7. Homelessness
8. Destitution
9. Child Custody Proceedings
10. Unnecessary harassment by Jehovah’s Witnesses, especially congregation elders
11. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
12. Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD)
13. Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS)
14. Exposure to age-inappropriate religious material, such as religious scenes of violence, as contained in the religion’s literature and audio-video media
15. Any other related mental illness
16. Recruitment of minors (including baptizing of minors)
17. Non-reporting of Child Abuse and Child Sexual Abuse by Jehovah’s Witnesses

These harmful and negative effects can be caused by any (but not limited to) of the following:

1. Expulsion, better known as Disfellowshipping
2. Disassociating from the religion (either officially via a letter or unofficially)
3. Quietly leaving the religion, also known as fading
4. Openly criticizing the religion, also known as apostasy
5. Openly talking about one’s traumatic event, such as child sexual abuse and domestic violence
6. Making a police report respecting one’s child sexual abuse
7. Making a police report on behalf of another member’s child sexual abuse
8. Testifying in a court case regarding another member who is an alleged perpetrator of child sexual abuse
9. Non‐compliance with toxic misogynist practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses

A Victim of Jehovah’s Witnesses (Victim) are defined as follows:

• PIMO (Physically In, Mentally Out) – A baptized member of Jehovah’s Witnesses who no longer believes the doctrines and practices of the religion, but still participates in religious activities for fear of the religion’s harmful and negative effects.
• Dis‐associated Individuals – These are baptized, official members of Jehovah’s Witnesses who no longer believes the doctrines and practices of the religion and either submit an official letter of resignation to the religion or make it publicly known that they are no longer associated with the religion. This action is sometimes pre‐empted by religious disciplinary proceedings or the threat of it. Some dis‐associated individuals do return to the religion, but not before they experience at least one of the harmful and negative effects of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Other dis‐associated individuals who do not wish to return are subject to at least one of the harmful and negative effects of Jehovah’s Witnesses for the balance of their lives.
• Disfellowshipped Individuals – These are baptized, official members of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are officially expelled from the religion has a result of committing a religious sin. This action is taken regardless if the member appears before a disciplinary committee, also known as a judicial committee/judicial hearing. Some expelled members do return to the religion, but not before they experience at least one of the harmful and negative effects of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Other expelled members who do not wish to return are subject to at least one of the harmful and negative effects of Jehovah’s Witnesses for the balance of their lives.
• Victims of Child Abuse and Child Sexual Abuse ‐ These are baptized, official members of Jehovah’s Witnesses or those who never became members of the religion (but participated in religious activities and events), who were abused or sexually assaulted as minors in the religion. Most times these alleged criminal acts are never reported to the police by either the child’s parents (at least one parent is a member and is sometimes threatened with disciplinary action if they file a report) or the congregation’s elder’s (who are also aware of the allegations).
• Fader – A baptized member of Jehovah’s Witnesses who no longer believes the doctrines and practices of the religion, but quietly fades and ceases to participate (at various rates) in religious activities for fear of the religion’s harmful and negative effects. A fader is most likely to be harassed by other members of the religion and congregation elders under the guise of pastoral care.
• Victims of Domestic Violence ‐ A baptized member of Jehovah’s Witnesses who experiences domestic violence, but is prevented and hindered from seeking professional assistance, engaging law enforcement and seeking legal redress by members of the religion including congregation elders (who are only males).
• Other persons who are experiencing or have experienced difficulties in leaving Jehovah’s Witnesses.