Posted by Forme X (reposted by admin) on May 23, 2007 at 16:17:00
In Reply to: Why no convictions posted by sml on May 20, 2007 at 14:51:30:
I have one simple explanation: Berg's doctrines and teachings.
We were always told to keep some things away from outsiders, not to talk about certain things, to use words in double speak, not to use our real names but a Bible name, not to acknowledge where other members of homes are, to be deceivers and yet true, to appear to pose no harm, to be all things to all people, etc. So many ways to protect and preempt future knowledge of who was where when.
Some friendships were/are born but most were discouraged so no long term communication would exist in most cases. I was in the Family during the early days for more than 10 years and met many people but I have no way to know where they are or the system name of the vast majority.
In this environment, the burden of proof is a high obstacle.
Most of the real physical abuse is for the most a way of life. Actions that most people would consider cruel and out of the ordinary, are taught and common place in The Family.
Sexual abuse was taught but it seems that the vast majority had some reservations and avoided the most extreme views and teachings of Berg through his own writings and Maria and Sara Davidito. But this assessment is hard to validate because the inner core would never incriminate themselves. A few people left and have since made public comments but they are also not willing to incriminate themselves.
Most of the people who left during the early 80s or before were not involved in the most extreme teachings of sexual abuse that Berg directed but some abuse was already taking place in the inner core of Berg's group. The group was small in those days and there were already some perverts, probably hand-picked by Berg himself, who were in charge of making decisions. But they were always protected.
This is why only a few cases got convictions and indictements against The Family. Berg knew that secrecy would be an important component of its con, and he enforced it since the very beginning. Old timers can tell you stories of purges that are reinfoced by those early Mo Letters explaining in double talk what the plan was: Getting Organized, Quality or Quantity, etc. The reason of those purges was to keep only those who didn't or wouldn't think for themselves but were easily manipulated.
Look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69S2fI_GAzo&mode=related&search=
How the children react when confronted with Berg's publications, see how the secrecy is already ingrained in them. They react as expected, protecting their most basic ideas. "You are not supposed to have it" is a telling comment of the difficulties of getting these people to see the truth. They themselves do not realize what abuse is and how abused they are so even if you get them to court they are not truthful witnesses.