Jehovah’s Witness Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

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.

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.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Abuse Statistics

Jehovah’s Witnesses have a widespread presence across the United States, with more than 11,850 congregations nationwide. This has raised concerns that sexual abuse may be both more common and more hidden than previously acknowledged.

Jehovah's Witness abuse statistics help highlight the scope of this problem:

• In Pennsylvania, the birthplace of this religion, an ongoing investigation that started in 2019 has led to 17 arrests and 11 convictions.
• A British watchdog group reported that Jehovah's Witnesses organizations were aware of at least 67 allegations of child abuse between 2009 and 2019.
• In Australia, a national government inquiry found that the Jehovah’s Witnesses failed to report more than 1,000 instances of child sexual abuse to law enforcement.
• In the United States, the church has paid over $100 Million in Jehovah's Witnesses sexual abuse settlements and trial verdicts to survivors.

“You realize it’s not just a seed, and it’s not just a little personal thing — it’s rooted all the way up to the headquarters.”
– Jehovah's Witness Abuse Survivor

Many survivors remain silent out of fear, shame, or distrust — but coming forward can be a powerful first step toward healing. Our sexual abuse lawyers believe every survivor deserves justice.

Latest Jehovah’s Witness Abuse News

Over the past several decades, a growing number of survivors, advocates, and government agencies have exposed how the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization mishandled and even actively concealed allegations of child sexual abuse.

These findings have led to criminal investigations and civil sexual abuse lawsuits. Find out about key developments that have brought the issue of sexual abuse among Jehovah's Witnesses to light:

• July 2025: Timothy Willochell became the 17th member of the Jehovah's Witnesses to be arrested for child sexual abuse as part of an ongoing investigation into the church in Pennsylvania. The abuse reportedly took place between 1989 and 1997.
• June 2025: Shaun Sheffer, a former Jehovah’s Witness member, was sentenced to up to 34 years in prison for sexually abusing a child between the ages of 7 and 12 in Pennsylvania in the 1990s. A grand jury found that Sheffer exploited the victim’s age and mental disability.
• January 2025: David Balosa was sentenced to 2 to 4 years in prison for using his position in a Philadelphia Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation to gain a child’s trust before sexually assaulting them in 1998.
• March 2025: Marc Brown, a Jehovah’s Witness from Pittsburgh, was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison for abusing two children between 2004 and 2006. He pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges after a grand jury investigation.
• June 2024: Former Jehovah’s Witness elder Norman Aviles-Garriga was convicted of sexually abusing three children from 1999 to 2003 in Pennsylvania. Prosecutors said he used his status in the church to access and discredit victims. Though briefly expelled from the church, he was later reinstated.
• July 2023: Pennsylvania’s attorney general charged five Jehovah’s Witnesses with child sexual abuse following a years-long investigation. The accused gained access to their victims, all children within the church, through their roles in the religious organization.
• March 1997: The Watchtower instructed elders to report those accused of child sexual abuse to their headquarters by mailing a form in a special blue envelope. The information was used to maintain a database of suspected abusers.

These Jehovah’s Witness abuse cases represent only a fraction of the abuse allegations tied to the organization. By bravely sharing their stories, survivors may continue to hold the organization accountable for failing to protect them.

Who Can File Jehovah's Witness Sexual Abuse Cases?

You may be able to file a Jehovah's Witness sexual abuse case if you were sexually abused by a Jehovah’s Witness elder, ministerial servant, congregation member, or someone in a position of trust within the organization.

Thanks to recent legislation, many survivors can now take legal action even if the abuse happened decades ago. In New York, for example, survivors who were abused as children can file a claim until they turn 55 years old.

It’s never too late to speak out. Survivors deserve justice, no matter how much time has passed.

Contact Sokolove Law now to see if you may be eligible to file a Jehovah's Witnesses sexual abuse lawsuit. There’s no pressure to move forward unless you’re ready.

How the Watchtower Handles Abuse by Jehovah's Witnesses

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has come under intense scrutiny for its handling of child sexual abuse allegations. Rather than protecting survivors, the organization has been accused of enforcing policies that prioritized secrecy and protected abusers.

Key internal practices that kept abuse hidden include:

• Internal database of suspected abusers: Elders were directed to report abuse allegations to the Watchtower headquarters, not to the police. Using this information, the organization kept a database of suspected abusers but failed to take action to prevent future abuse.
• Judicial committee: Elders held closed-door disciplinary hearings where survivors were forced to confront their abusers face to face. These proceedings retraumatized survivors and rarely led to consequences.
• Two-witness rule: This rule requires two eyewitnesses to an incident before elders will take disciplinary action. It allowed abusers to go unchecked, as sexual abuse rarely occurs in front of others.

"The way that Jehovah's Witnesses handle matters within the congregation, it's a closed shop. I know for a fact now that there are parents that haven't done anything about the abuse of their children by others because they don't want to bring reproach on Jehovah's name."
– John V., Jehovah's Witness Abuse Survivor

Many survivors were shamed or ignored, while abusers stayed in the congregation, sometimes in leadership roles. These internal practices are central to Jehovah's Witnesses sexual abuse cases seeking accountability from the organization.

Steps to Filing a Lawsuit for Jehovah’s Witnesses Abuse

At Sokolove Law, we understand how overwhelming it can be to come forward after experiencing sexual abuse, especially when it involves a trusted religious organization. That’s why we’re here to take on the legal burden for you, so you can focus on your well-being.

Our Jehovah’s Witness sexual abuse attorneys can:

• Provide a free case review to help you understand your legal options
• Collect key evidence like internal church documents, medical records, and witness statements
• File your lawsuit against the abuser, the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization, and any individuals who enabled the abuse
• Negotiate a Jehovah's Witness sexual abuse settlement with the defendant(s)
• Take your case to trial if necessary and fight for the justice you deserve

You don’t have to go through this alone. We’re here to support you every step of the way and to make the legal process as easy and stress-free as possible.

Get Help from Our Jehovah’s Witness Sexual Abuse Lawyers

For over 45 years, Sokolove Law has been giving a voice to those who have been silenced and providing them with access to the justice system.

If you or a loved one is a survivor of Jehovah’s Witness abuse, you may be entitled to compensation. Our legal team is here to listen with compassion and fight for you every step of the way.

We’ve helped thousands of individuals across the country seek justice, securing more than $10 Billion total for those harmed due to no fault of their own.

We understand how difficult it is to come forward. You are not alone — and we’re here to help.

Call (800) 995-1212 right now or fill out our contact form to take the first step toward the justice you deserve.

Jehovah’s Witness Sexual Abuse Lawsuit FAQs