Hillsboro Jehovah's witnesses face sex abuse lawsuit

KGW
December 01, 2014

http://www.kgw.com/story/news/local/beaverton/2014/12/01/hillsboro-jehovahs-witness-sued-sex-abuse/19762305/

HILLSBORO, Ore. -- Two people have filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit over alleged sex abuse by a leader at a Hillsboro Jehovah's witness congregation.The lawsuit accuses leaders of the group of hiding decades of sexual abuse.

Lawyers for Velicia Alston said the church suffers from a "crisis of cover-up." The suit alleges that Alston and another boy were molested in the mid-1980's while attending the North Hillsboro Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Alston said she chose to use her name and speak out because she wants to give victims a voice.

"It's about bad people in sheeps clothing," she said. "It is a terrible secret being hid from the public by the people we trust."

The lawsuit asks for $10.5 million in damages.

It's one of 14 active cases filed against the Jehovah's witnesses from across the country.