Steven Unthank: What do we really know?

Hi, everyone.  I'm gonna play the skeptic today on a topic that is painful for a lot of people on this forum.  My intent is not to stir anything up but to make sure facts are confirmed.  Bear in mind, I'm sickened by the WT's role (and the heirarchy down to elders) in child molestation cover-ups.  Personal friends have been affected by this and I wish those responsible would be held accountable.  I would love to see the WTBTS fall under the microscope of a real prosecutor and laid to waste.  But my questions are specifically in regard to Steven Unthank.

I've not really been keeping up with these threads so this might just reflect sheer ignorance on my part.  But I just skimmed a couple this morning and I'm just curious if there are any goverment websites that provide details or a summary of the case or charges made?  I've seen lots of emotional thread titles here on JWN and links to stevenunthank.com and mentions of Steven Unthank on virtually every exjw site imaginable.  I've also seen mention of Steven Unthank on a couple of news sites (ie, Herald Sun). What I cannot find is a .gov site that mentions any of the cases listed.  And maybe that's to be expected.  I just don't know.  (Googled using advanced search for any hits on ".gov" site for "Steven Unthank" ... also tried another search using one of the case numbers.)

At any rate, the latest update from Steven includes, supposedly, a portrait of one of the victims with an emotionally stirring caption:

"The above pencil drawing is an image of a young child in the Traralgon Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses that was recently raped by a fellow member of the church."

Hang on a sec... why would he publicly post an image of one of the victims?  Something's amiss.

Using Google's "search by image" feature returns a link to the following artist's portfolio:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-brian-scott.html?page=4

This is the work of a UK artist named Brian Scott.  Anyways, I just sent an email to Brian to see if he could verify whether the story that's being attached to his artwork is legit or not.  Maybe Brian knew the child and got permission to create her portrait and post it on his site alongside all the other faces.   But this carries the tone of some hoax emails that float around in which the image and the story do not belong together.  If the image doesn't go with the story, that is a discredit to Steven Unthank - regardless of how much else is accurate - and hurts former JWs who have a genuine interest in justice being meted out.

Steven Unthank may be the real deal but  I'm looking for verification from someone involved in the case on the goverment's side regarding the proceedings.  Any suggestions?

I strongly believe that the picture was put out there as 'extra drama'.  ;(  I can't see it being a fraud, sweet baby chezits... 

When I saw the portrait I asked myself if it's legit as well. Here no media has picked up on anything the trial nor the molestation in this cong.
I also wondered why they would allow him to post this pisyure and the description of what happened to her and not go to the media themselves in regards to the injustice.

As for the cases they were listed on each hearing date on the Magistrates Court Websites. You can no longer get the result after the day of the hearing.

Hi Sweets! Someone had the link to the actual gov site that had the case listed. It was easy to find and see the dates/time ect.... I tried to find the link can't find it maybe some remembers how to find it? I know Barbara Anderson has been promoting this feel very confident in her reputation.

edited to add the picture, and VERY personal story of a minor did make me uncomfy - either untrue or inaporpriate

I strongly believe that the picture was put out there as 'extra drama'.

Extra drama?  The real circumstances surrounding WT-pedophile-coverups are dramatic enough.  If he wanted to call it an artist's conception of what a victim's emotional pain, that's fine.  But why claim it's one of the victims?  Does it not affect one's credibility if he stretches the truth?  That is unnecessary and could be a discredit to former JWs in general.  The WT provides more then enough rope to hang itself.  Embellishing the facts may be damaging to a real cause.

"The above pencil drawing is an image of a young child in the Traralgon Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses that was recently raped by a fellow member of the church."

As uncomfortable as your point may be, this really does need to be answered.

Also needing an answer - if indeed that portrait is really one made of the child who was raped, why on earth are you exposing her to everybody in the world on the internet?

EDIT to add this:  And please don't tell us that the child gave her consent to have it posted.  No minor child who is a rape victim could possibly give consent to such a thing - and neither would her parents if they had a sane neuron in their brains.

That's a mighty fine point, Sweet Baby cheezits.  

Just as most news organizations don't identify minors that have been victims of sexual crimes, I have to question the posting of an illustration of a child victim.  Even though this a drawing (A damn good one though) if it clearly is representative of an actual person, posting it seems insensitive and questionable.

Aside from that I haven't really kept up with the rest of the deal about this guy.

Aside from that I haven't really kept up with the rest of the deal about this guy.

I have generally held the position that Unthank was for real and was doing a good thing by bringing up the Australian case.

Even though I strongly disagreed with the decision to go on the Six Screens conference call for publicity...

I cannot get past putting up this picture, though - it really is beyond the pale, especially with the explanation he gave.

This needs further scrutiny - very critical scrutiny.

Good! Does it disturb you to see the face?That's the point!

He wouldn't have done it without parents permission if that was indeed the real child. 

Out of sight, out of mind. It's easeir to sleep at night and not have to look at ones self in the mirror when one of these little ones is crying out while being sexually abused! It's easy for the GB not to have to look at the many faces of these children, and NOT DO ANYTHING while having a good nights sleep while letting the attorney doing their dirty work. 

If you go to his site,  you will see his art work. His art is so amazing, a couple look more like real life photos then paintings. 

http://www.stevenunthank.com/

Well I don't pretend to have read all the threads on the subject but from what I read my inclination was to be skeptical too.

mind blown:  SBC's point was this -

Using Google's "search by image" feature returns a link to the following artist's portfolio:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-brian-scott.html?page=4

This is the work of a UK artist named Brian Scott. 

Interesting.

I've had serious reservations about this for a while.  I couldn't put my finger on it until the past couple of 'press releases'.

could it possibly be that Brian Scott just so happened to have painted one of the child abuse victims? 

Ya know, it wouldn't surprise me, but I'd be really disappointed if this whole thing has been a charade involving people in the apostate community who have solid reputations colluding with others with not-so-solid reputations.

He wouldn't have done it without the parent permission.

Out of sight, out of mind. It's easeir to sleep at night and not have to look at ones self in the mirror when one of these little ones is crying out while being sexually abused! It's easy for the GB not to have to look at the many faces of these children, and NOT DO ANYTHING while having a good nights sleep while letting the attorney doing their dirty work. 

Posting the child's likeness here isn't putting that child's face in the GB's faces.  They're not gonna see it here.  People here are already in tune with the horrors of what the WT's silence does.  

And I have to question the parents if they "allow" anyone to use their child's likeness in this manner.  While they may want to bring attention to the atrocities committed in the name of this, or any, religion, they need to keep the welfare and recovery of their child first and foremost in their mind.  "Using" their child to promote a vendetta against the WTS isn't healthy for the child...or for him/her later in life, knowing that they were used like this... 

We all want the WTS held accountable for their misdeeds.  But we don't need to throw victims faces in a public forum just to make a point.

I must admit when I saw the picture I was shocked. Here in the UK a child's identity is protected at all costs. Why would a picture be posted? Surely her identity should be totally off limits. And if it's not her then why is it being used? I don't know enough details about the case to be able to comment on it but I do know what a terrible thing it is that has happened whatever the outcome. I just feel very uncomfortable about the picture.

Yes,  imagine the image of a child crying while being raped. Very sad indeed 

Brian Scott? The former circuit overseer in the UK?

Wow. I too only have a surface level awareness of this case, but the Six Screens appearance and now that pic cast a dubious shadow over it all.

According to Brian Scott's website, his drawing was posted Sept. 5 2010. But Steven Unthank's post today on his website describes that photo as "the above pencil drawing is an image of a young child in the Traralgon Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses who was recently raped..."

Doesn't add up...