6 episodes
Call Bethel The Telegraph
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- Society & Culture
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5.0 • 200 Ratings
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Brave whistleblowers. A trail of data. A secret system for dealing with allegations of child abuse. Follow the Telegraph's Investigations team on their year-long hunt into the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Unknown Boy
The end of the investigation is in sight. Doors open, documents arrive in the post, and the final pieces of the puzzle start to fit together.
Read the Investigations team's notebook here: www.telegraph.co.uk/callbethel |
For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/bethelpodcast |
If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on callbethel@telegraph.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
The Library
The reporters hit one dead end after another. They’re starting to lose hope that they’ll ever land the story, when they get a breakthrough. A private library on the coast of England could hold answers they need.
Read the Investigations team's notebook here: www.telegraph.co.uk/callbethel |
For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/bethelpodcast |
If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on callbethel@telegraph.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Paper Trails
The idea that the Jehovah’s Witnesses keep a database of abuse allegations isn’t a complete long shot. Tireless lawyers in America and Australia have seen evidence of it in their countries. The reporters discover leads to follow.
Read the Investigations team's notebook here: www.telegraph.co.uk/callbethel |
For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/bethelpodcast |
If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on callbethel@telegraph.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Missing Pieces
A landmark legal battle. A fight for documents. The missing pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
The Investigations team at the Telegraph speak to three women who have all pursued justice against their abusers.
Read the Investigations team's notebook here: www.telegraph.co.uk/callbethel |
For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/bethelpodcast |
If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on callbethel@telegraph.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
The Tip-off
In August 2021, an email arrives in the Telegraph's investigations inbox claiming the Jehovah's Witnesses have a hidden database of alleged abusers. The reporters start on the trail.
Read the Investigations team's notebook here: www.telegraph.co.uk/callbethel |
For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/bethelpodcast |
If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on callbethel@telegraph.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Introducing Call Bethel
Brave whistleblowers. A trail of data. A secret system for dealing with allegations of child abuse. Follow the Telegraph's Investigations team on their year-long hunt into the Jehovah's Witnesses. First episode out on Tuesday.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Customer Reviews
Keep up the great work
I’m very grateful and invigorated by your coverage of this topic. As a former third generation member of the organization, I experienced CSA from ages four to fourteen. My older cousins, Brandon and Adam, were Pioneers and ministerial servants for about half of the time they were abusing me. By the time I was forced by my elders to confront them, they were elders themselves. They denied abusing me, an obvious twinge of guilt and fear in their faces. Their lie was not convincing and by their body language and facial expressions it was obvious their elders and mine knew this. They could clearly see I was telling the truth and that they were lying. However those elders also knew there was nothing to be done about it but “wait on Jehovah.” I still remember the smelly breath of one elder as he was telling me not to worry too much about it because, “In Jehovah’s Time it’ll all come out in the wash.” Whatever that means. I told my cousins and the elders that if my cousins confessed and apologized, I would forgive them and we would be civil but if they lied, I couldn’t forgive them and they had better not show their faces near where I might be ever again- including their own family events. I couldn’t help but notice fleeting looks of approval from the elders holding this meeting, as well as a haze of rage creeping over the face of my cousins. In the end, they lied, and because of the JW culture and rules, I was told to never talk about it again or I’d be in front of a judicial committee for SLANDER, and they went back to business as usual (one of the many things that triggered my waking up and leaving). A couple of years later I (accidentally) found out Brandon moved to Texas and Adam moved to Montana- apparently I was not supposed to be told but my auntie didn’t know there were shenanigans afoot- she’s genuinely honest and open, and just a talker. On the bright side- neither of them have showed up for any family events, I guess guilt is funny like that. Among other events, our beloved grandmother’s funeral, our coolest uncle’s funeral, and three of the family reunions that have been held since have been greatly improved by their absence. I’ve discovered my story is nearly identical to the stories of so many others, worldwide, that grew up in or around this vile organization and similar cultures. The testimonies in this phenomenal podcast have only highlighted this harrowing observation.
Great information
Very good journalistic investigations
Thank you
Eye opening!