Perhaps it’s reading of the rapes taking place in the Ukraine. Or perhaps it was past reading of Marry-your-rapist law - Wikipedia
So, here goes. I understand this spiritual worldview, because I participated in it 30 years ago. It can still haunt me.
I was, at the time a Pioneer and Elder’s wife. Very spiritual and very adept with scripture. Congregation members were always directed to speak to the Elders, so I was quite surprised when a 16 year old congregation member wanted to speak to me about something very personal.
She had “words” with her parents, and being upset, she left and took a drive. It was evening and she went to a “lookout” place, mid-week to calm herself, cry, listen to music. It was isolated and an area where you can look over the city lights from the top of a hill.
She was raped. The man was wearing a mask. She fought and screamed but he was much larger. She showered when she got home and didn’t say anything to anyone.
She told me.
Now comes the hard part. Did I tell her to go to the police? What about the hospital? Nope. I told her that it weighed heavily on her and she needed spiritual healing.
Still more. She did not want to do that. Did I respect her privacy? Nope. I told my husband the Elder who called a judicial committee to look into it.
She was put through a panel of 3 older men (Elders, including my husband) who “lovingly” grilled her on - her role in the rape; whether she was a virgin; her past sexual activity (how far did she go); were there witnesses to the rape; was she lying and had sex willingly.
They decided, with Jehovah’s spirit, to “just” reprimand and reprove her for one year. I had to sit during her reprimand since I knew about the “event”. They chose not to disfellowship her (she had been baptized) because they judged that she was a virgin before the rape. And they felt it was a Dinah situation.
Scriptural backing:
Deut. chapter 22
Taught since childhood:
https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-stories/2/jacobs-daughter-dinah/
…more to come…I have to go shopping