IN - Allegations of child abuse at Hephzibah House, Winona Lake, 2018

[Deleted member 50844]

Welcome to Websleuths, Disgruntled, and thank you for sharing your story.
I've never heard of this place, reading up on it now.
I am so sorry you had to endure this, but I am very proud of you for turning it around to try to help others.

 

[gitana1]

Do we know if the police forces have already gone to rescue them?

In our country, this is one of only MANY of similar religious schools or groups that are allowed to continue on unchecked despite continuous reports of rampant abuse.

If the victims are children, especially "troubled" ones, for get it. If the abusers are religious, it's pretty much guaranteed that nothing will be done.

We have a national history of harsh abuse of children under the guise of biblical principles, IMO and from what I have studied, obtaining my BA in American Studies.

Here are a couple:

http://www.newsweek.com/2017/03/10/...-christian-school-beatings-nudity-562257.html

http://www.newsherald.com/article/20150725/NEWS/150729622

http://thewartburgwatch.com/2015/02/04/is-teen-challenge-an-abusive-rehab-program/

 

[gitana1]

Here is a comprehensive documentary from 20/20 on the culture (IFB) that gives rise to these schools and the parents who allow their kids to be tortured there:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/indepe...pline-call-tough-love-abuse/story?id=13310172

 

[Spellbound]

I was just coming here to find an appropriate spot to start a thread for this ... thank you human!

some interesting pages:

6/30/2009 Hephzibah Protesters Return To Courthouse
http://www.timesuniononline.com/Mob...-Protesters-Return-To-Courthouse/-3/224/41075


September, 2011 ... was featured on CNN/Anderson Cooper
https://iamarecoveringfundamentalist.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/hephzibah-house-to-be-featured-on-cnn/

3/23/2015 has Hephzibah House Mended Its Ways in the Wake of Public Criticism?
http://thewartburgwatch.com/2015/03...ded-its-ways-in-the-wake-of-public-criticism/


Mods.... I am not sure if this one is allowed? Audio documentary: http://www.jeriwho.net/tlohh.html


Once you start looking, the stories are endless... :tears:

 

[disgruntled]

Do we know if the police forces have already gone to rescue them?

Sadly it does not work that way. we have to have an escapee or a family member of a current victim make a complaint and that just cannot seem t happen. There is no record or file of who is at the school at any given time so we cannot make complaints on behalf of ghosts. The few girls or family who have files charges were shut down by Williams either claiming all the students were sent home and he is no longer operating or by simply sending home the girl in question. These girls who leave there won't speak out. It took me almost two years to get the courage to call the police station and report what I had been through when I got out. They told me the statute of limitations was up and there was nothing they could do. I asked if I could leave a formal statement and my contact information which they took by phone. Nothing ever came of that. I gathered information for the next several years, even sending a few dollars in donation money so I could get their secret supporter only newsletter. In 2008 Williams called me and told me he was so proud of me and needed my help. I started shaking so badly I had to slide down the wall and sit. He rambled on about how evil former students had found the internet and were trying to sue him and close him down. He asked me to write a letter for his lawyer stating I had never been abused at Hephzibah house and had never witnessed any abuse while I was there. I am ashamed to say I could not say no, even as a grown woman. Paralyzed by fear of this man I managed to stutter that I would have to talk it over with my husband. He shouted "Hallelujah! A submissive woman!" I asked for his lawyer's address and he told me to just send it directly to him and he would edit for me. I immediately went online and found these evil women and joined their group of three women in an open forum searching for other former students. I have since been trying everything I can think of to close him down. I wrote a statement for him all right detailing the horrific abuse I witnessed and experienced. Im the big old lady in the Anderson Cooper clip. I've interviewed with Mother Jones and Fox and staged peaceful protests and worked with the FBI and Indiana police to start a task force. CPS, the police, everyone knows how bad HH is and how at risk these girls are, they just cannot get in.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

I'm going to devote the next hour before bed to researching this. Thanks for all of the links, folks. I've got a lot of reading to do before I put my 2 cents in.

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[disgruntled]

So, you are all quick. You've found much of what we have been doing including the Bill we tried to pass in order to put some sort of protection in place for these children. As far as I know Hephzibah House is the only non-underground school left that uses full lock down and complete censorship, even between parents and child. A completely closed facility where no parent or visitor is allowed without prior authorization. In other words absolutely no accountability or oversight.

 

[yurena]

In our country, this is one of only MANY of similar religious schools or groups that are allowed to continue on unchecked despite continuous reports of rampant abuse.

If the victims are children, especially "troubled" ones, for get it. If the abusers are religious, it's pretty much guaranteed that nothing will be done.

We have a national history of harsh abuse of children under the guise of biblical principles, IMO and from what I have studied, obtaining my BA in American Studies.

Here are a couple:

http://www.newsweek.com/2017/03/10/...-christian-school-beatings-nudity-562257.html

http://www.newsherald.com/article/20150725/NEWS/150729622

http://thewartburgwatch.com/2015/02/04/is-teen-challenge-an-abusive-rehab-program/

So Gitana1 there could be hundreds -or thousands- of girls who have gone through this experience over the past few decades? This is mind-boggling in the worst sense of the expression We had a school like this in Tenerife in the early 80s; the directors ended up in prison and it was closed.

They tried to open -a different religious group- one in Navarra, another Spanish region, a few years ago but the government refused to provide them with the license to register as a school so they could not do it.

I am off to read the articles on the links you attached.

 

[Ibiz]

As long as politicians rely on the religious community for votes, nothing will change.

 

[bears10]

Here is a comprehensive documentary from 20/20 on the culture (IFB) that gives rise to these schools and the parents who allow their kids to be tortured there:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/indepe...pline-call-tough-love-abuse/story?id=13310172

I’m going to watch this over the weekend probably. Thanks for posting.

These places go beyond fundamentalists. It doesn’t have to be religious. My friends family was catholic, but not extreme. They were just conservative and couldn’t deal with their kid smoking pot, so they had strangers rip her out of her bed and take her to a hell hole in Utah against her will. She was a teenager tho so she had no say. So sad. Losing my best friend (who even when she came back, was so brainwashed and refused to communicate with any of her old friends) was so sad, and also so sketchy. Even in our teens, my other friend and I had so many questions and concerns. Fornits was a great website back in the day. I’m not sure if it’s still active but just throwing it out there. http://wiki.fornits.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

 

[disgruntled]

I am just overwhelmed by this response. Ive been very discouraged these last three years. Maybe, just maybe, brave heart Turpin may save more than just her 12 siblings with her courageous escape.

 

[Momoffourboys]

Oh. My. God.
I just read some of the HG blog. I had to stop. I’m shaking
Who would believe this torture goes unreported and unpunished?

Disgruntled, so much respect and gratitude for speaking up. I cannot imagne how terrifying that is, in itself.

 

[bears10]

So, you are all quick. You've found much of what we have been doing including the Bill we tried to pass in order to put some sort of protection in place for these children. As far as I know Hephzibah House is the only non-underground school left that uses full lock down and complete censorship, even between parents and child. A completely closed facility where no parent or visitor is allowed without prior authorization. In other words absolutely no accountability or oversight.

Many, if not all of the WWASP programs, operated the same way. There are support forums for those who have been thru what you have been thru... I’m not sure of specifically HH related but def WWASP related. If you are interested I can look them up and send them to you. You are not alone. ❤️

 

[coralynne]

So let me get this straight. We can go into other countries to intervene on behalf of children who are treated like this, and we can fight to have institutions across the world such as these shut down, but we can’t police it in our own backyard? There has got to be some sort of government institution that would be in charge of such facilities. We need to find out who that might be, and be a thorn in their side.

 

[JezebelMoose]

Sadly, I have a family member who went through almost identical situation at a similar IFB reform girls “prison” in Louisiana. This was in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It has since closed here and moved to FL. Mother Jones did a big piece on this place too. I hate to say it but they are in almost every state to this day.

It was called New Bethany Home for Girls.

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[Ibiz]

Sadly, I have a family member who went through almost identical situation at a similar IFB reform girls “prison” in Louisiana. This was in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It has since closed here and moved to FL. Mother Jones did a big piece on this place too. I hate to say it but they are in almost every state to this day.

It was called New Bethany Home for Girls.

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Welcome to Websleuths .

 

[Deleted member 158085]

[FONT=&quot]"This is the Horrible place [where] I spent 15 months as a teenager. It is a cult and my parents did not know….HE ABUSED US TEENAGE GIRLS, and screwed up our minds, and broke our spirits…There was no love. We are all still healing 20-30 yrs later."[/FONT]​

http://thewartburgwatch.com/2015/03...ded-its-ways-in-the-wake-of-public-criticism/

After reading the letter linked in this blog, I think I know why disgruntled chose her screen name.

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[ClaireNC]

Thanks, human, for starting a thread.

Disgruntled, thank you for sharing your story. I read it last night and it's been on my mind all day. Hugs to you, and I wish you much peace and happiness. Sending positive energy into the universe for you, hon.


We've had a couple of missing persons cases here that were 'runaways' from group homes or camps. I suspected they ran away to escape abuse, but nothing was ever followed up on.

Hopefully, now, we can figure out how to get something done.

I'm off to read some of the links and will start researching tomorrow.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

It's ringing some Handmaid's Tale bells.

Disgruntled, what is the web address for your group?

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[bears10]

It's ringing some Handmaid's Tale bells.

Disgruntled, what is the web address for your group?

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I believe it’s http://hephzibah-girls.blogspot.com/?m=1