MK forum

I haven't heard a lot on all the abuse in PNG or that NTM is doing much about it. How many of you are still wanting to see action taken in these cases?

Also, what about all the emotional abuse, do you think NTM will ever deal with that and not just sexual?

Sexual abuse is a criminal act and should be treated as such, no matter who the perpetrator is, where they live or what organisation they have membership of. For an organisation to harbour, hide or cover up a paedophile is also a criminal act.

Emotional abuse, Spiritual abuse and Mental abuse is not a criminal offence and therefore carries few penalties.

Physical abuse is a more complicated area, for it has to do with intent and the level of violence involved. Also attitudes, both legal and public opinion have changed over the decades in regards to "discipline".

Sexual abuse has been criminally wrong for far longer than the existance of NTM, so there is no excuse for it to have happened and then been treated so lightly or ignored.

I was more or less asking if anyone would like to see them do more with all the emotional abuse as well. And there is a category it falls under that has to do with a child's well being. I understand the definitions of all abuse.

Considering many in NTM and other missions don't take sexual abuse that seriously, I doubt emotional abuse is even on the radar.
How many historic paedophiles were there, dozens? How many have served jail time? One. How many were reported to the authorities of the countries where they offended? Probably none.
Why? Because those who should of done this looked down on the laws of the land they were guests in and so they let paedophiles go free and where do we now find some of those paedophiles? Well one was found working in a childrens home, another living in a situation where children abound. So not only did the laws of the land that these crimes were committed in get the big raspberry, but these animals have been allowed to happily go about their offending back in their own countries (unless of course one thinks they stopped offending when they changed countries).

When the members of organisations with the mess of child sex abuse on their hands finally wake up to the horror that they have wittingly or unwittingly participated in and do demand something is done about it, then there might be a chance that they will look at emotional abuse. In the meantime, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Yunker, this PNG section of Fanda Eagles was very active several years ago, and as I read the posts from PNG MKs (including yourself) I was horrified to learn of decades of abuse of all kinds that went on there: not only sexual, but physical, emotional and spiritual as well.

NTM has said that IHART will eventually get around to investigating the reports of abuse in several additional countries, including PNG.

If the IHART investigations yield the same type of thorough report that GRACE produced on the NTM school in Fanda, then I would expect they would include all types of abuse in their report, and in their recommendations for the consequences of the abuse that occurred.

I personally am not enthused about IHART initiating any further investigations until they can show us exactly how one of their investigations will play out, from start to finish, and we can see the evidence of what will actually be produced in the end.

If a final report is publicly released that includes specific and detailed information about all types of abuse that happened to MKs, if perpetrators of abuse are named, if harsh penalties for the abuse are spelled out, and if NTM follows through on doling out those consequences to its present, former, and even deceased members, then those who have been abused might feel some justice has been achieved, and this might lead to some recovery and healing.

You are right in pointing out that emotional abuse is also abuse, and it can have lifelong effects on both children and adults.

Do I expect the IHART investigations to yield the type of truthful and specific report and recommendations that GRACE's investigation produced?

Sadly, I do not.

That is why I have not been pushing for further investigations by IHART. Of PNG, where you lived. Or of the Philippines, where I lived.

But I am not ready to walk away from the struggle yet, because maybe the end result is going to be better than I anticipate.

If MKs, their parents, families, supporters and friends end up being disappointed in the final result of the IHART investigations of East Brazil, Bolivia and Panama, then we can come back to your questions:

"How many of you are still wanting to see action taken in these cases?

Also, what about all the emotional abuse, do you think NTM will ever deal with that and not just sexual?"

I don't believe we've run completely out of options just yet.

If they can keep MKs just waiting until they get around to it, the MKs are going to be dead. What they don't know is that a whole new crop of abused MKs are coming up through the ranks who will some day also talk. They act as if all abuse has stopped. The the same offenders out there I am sure it has not. In fact offenders enjoy doing their abuse in dangerous situations it makes it more exciting. (Sick I know). If they can flaunt it they do. So since we have heard nothing about current cases we know that they are not doing anything. Abuse does not just stop. There will be people twenty and thirty years from now who will be telling what is happening to them today Feb 23, 2013. I do not believe that these missions are in any way godly. They brag about how God has used them do they not realize many times God used even evil people. But we keep working to try to make them see the light.

To answer your question about abuse still happening, have a look at this blog http://crossview.com.au/growing-through-conflict/ .

This is a recent post and it involves Crossview Australia (yes they that reply to no e-mails and have been well and truly caught covering up paedophile activity).
So a splinter group that has not made any attempt to rectify it's past and has this written by one of its members, the warning bells surely must be ringing for those not hearing challenged.

Of course there are reassurances that programmes have been implemented and policies drawn up e.t.c., but as you so rightly point out, there could well be a whole new generation of MKs being subjected to abuse, we just don't know for sure and given track records it is a distinct possiblitity.

In 20 years who knows, but at least we can say we acted with tenacity, conviction and honesty in doing our best to make others aware of the potential, which is a much better option than doing nothing, as so many others have done.

And don't forget that NTM could be using the info collected by IHART investigators
to help their lawyers prepare for court cases.
It doesn't matter that the investigators are nice and sympathetic.
What did the unblvr neighbor of NTM at the flight program in AZ say?
I never met any NTM person who wasn't nice. But what they do when they get together---no human being would think of doing. (Paraphrase.)

I don't trust anyone from NTM. They have always been very fake, even to their own missionaries. Any origination that has you work for them your whole life and gives you no retirement because they claim you are self employed is one of the most dishonest unethical things I have seen.

Really self employed so NTM doesn't have to pay taxes on them? Last I checked an employee is anyone that you have control over. So yeah this org is corrupt and beyond dishonest.

Dear Yunker,

It's a matter of choice and common sense, if one doesn't like the job offer, don't take the job. Some of the missionaries in my era did very nicely, had good donated incomes, with good travel opportunities and some put in very little effort. Others received minimal donated incomes and worked like dogs.

But what about the people who really got ripped off, it comes up here as a subject occassionally and gets little comment. Those big luxurious bases that evolved amidst the poor subsistance living locals, was a fair rent for the land ever paid? A couple of beat up old cars and some other western rubbish is hardly fair rent. Swap sides for a moment and imagine living in a one roomed home, dirt floor, with all the kids a wife or two and some pigs. Meanwhile behind a big fence (the one erected to keep you out), lives some guests in your country who's houses are palatial in comparison and their kids ride their motorbikes through your land for recreation, get a good education and then wander back to where ever they came from.
But it gets even worse, some of the missionaries are more equal than others (them from Downunder wasn't equal when I was a kid, ask any Downunder missionary who got kicked out of PNG and their possessions confiscated) and if there is a pecking order amongst the missionaries who almost entirely have the same skin colour, you can bet your bottom dollar you ain't going to get fairly treated, because some of dem there missionaries openly preached a very rascist message.

Oh we've all heard the stories how the good missionaries were welcomed even invited to come, but I personally think that is only one side of the story and the other side of the story has little chance of being told and is probably considerably different.

There we go, we've both raised some pretty controversial thoughts. I don't think either of us will ever be applying to be missionaries (for which the missionary world is probably truly thankful), but for anyone contemplating doing so, I suspect we both agree, Buyer Beware!