Survivor talks fight against sexual abuse; Last week’s top stories

Former Jehovah’s Witness Romy Maple of Fortuna appeared on the A&E television series “Cults and Extreme Beliefs” earlier this year and then started the non-profit 707SAFE | Submitted

Humboldt Last Week features quick local stories and typically ends with a longer one. Downloadable and on podcast networks for later listening.

In the latest episode of Humboldt Last Week (7:32)

Earlier this year Fortuna resident Romy Maple appeared on the A&E television series “Cults and Extreme Beliefs,” partially discussing the sexual abuse she suffered as a child which was essentially swept under the rug by the Jehovah’s Witness church for 40 years.

Since that appearance Romy started the non-profit Sexual Assault Fighters Elite (707SAFE), providing coaching and support for any and all survivors of child sexual abuse.

“…Sexual abuse is a crime,” she said. “I don’t care where: In a family, in a religion, whatever. (But for some) it’s not a ‘crime,’ it’s a ‘sin.’ So there’s a lot of secrets that are behind held in those specific laws that they create to make (themselves) look clean…”

In response to the A&E episode the church shared their “scripturally based position on child protection.” Click here and scroll down a bit to read that.

The interview with Romy begins at 7:32. She discusses her story and efforts as well as separating from an organization she was a member of for the majority of her life.

It’s important to note that while statute of limitations restricts Romy from pressing charges against her abuser, newer California law states that many sex offenses committed after the start of 2017 are no longer subject to a statute of limitations.

Also, 707SAFE is in its early stages and could use donations if you’re feeling generous and are in a position to help.

Other stories in Episode 108

A celebrity endorsement for Eureka, an HSU grad might be getting a lot of NFL experience this month, a sweet petition in honor of a famous former local who recently passed away, some throwback 90s Humboldt music scene coverage, cannabis takeovers, a Portland-area DA rep shares a likely trial date for a Eureka man facing child porn charges, and more.

Humboldt Last Week also has some lightheartedness, new music picks, and event suggestions. On the radio throughout the day on 99.1 KISS FM Mondays.

Episode partners: Ferndale Music CompanyCafe NoonerBongo Boy StudioTuyas Mexican Restaurant

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18 Comments
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Willie Caso-Mayhem
Guest
5 years ago

Good read.

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago

Why do any laws have statues of limitations? Is it because people can change?

Antichrist
Guest
Antichrist
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

memories change and evidiance degrades over time as well as laws and what is acceptable over time. hell being hit with a paddle used to be acceptable but is now child abuse yet teachers used to have paddles on their desks.

Dan F
Guest
Dan F
5 years ago
Reply to  Antichrist

I wish I had a Dollar for every time I was intorduced to the “Board of Education” as a child!!! Not to mention my father beating me for not washing the damned dishes “properly”!!!

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

There is no statute of limitations on fraud. Throckmorton v. U.S.

Fraud – gaining at the loss of another using trickery and deception. That pretty much covers crime.

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. 2 Peter 2: 2-3.

Sticking to the existing system is unrealistic.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Central HumCo

No. Because it is ever so much harder to get physical evidence or even gather testimony a decade afterwards.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Central HumCo

As usual, you’re wrong again.
https://www.bayarea-attorney.com/federal-statue-of-limitations

Also, Saint Peter had his shot at running civilization, it was called The Dark Ages.

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

Jack,

Language is an instrument for expressing and not for concealing or preventing thought. When truth is suppressed countries die.

When I post a comment, I post it with experience of conviction, and or links to evidence. This one being a Statute of Limitation on fraud. June 1, 2016, our public serpents scheduled both litigations of Meas. Z and the Commercial Medical Marijuana Land Use Ordinance, back to back in Administration Room Two/Reinholtsen. Who, btw, I had disqualified in a previous City of Eureka v the People April 8, 2013 (CalPer deficit payments w/no “Rainbow” on future premium payments, via Bonds w/out balloting a vote of the governed – JUST LIKE Med. MJ. Ord).

June 1, 2016 –Upstairs, my witness with me pointed to the monitors flashing the cases and names. I had about 23-28 names on each case. He said, ‘Your name is all over the place’. I didn’t have my glasses on, as I seldom, seldom do. Even after three or so Supe’ meetings of returning unopened envelopes to them, from Joseph Ellenwood Esquire, (immediately under The County’s Headcheese Council, Blank Esquire), and telling the Order Givers, ‘’I don’t want anything from a third-party interloper . . . you are being sued in your personal capacity. Neither will I meet with Ellenwood. No more telephone calls’’ . . . Ellenwood showed up to re-present the whole kit and caboodle.

According to Not-in-the Republic, Esq. Ellenwood, Statute of limitation was on Meas. Z I had no idea that half-a-percent sucked our lifeblood to the tune of a million a month, until it was in the newspaper – TEN months after it took effect April 1, 2015. I filed March 15, 2016 –Z, and Med. MJ Ordinance March 25, 2016. Both were led up to – no surprises – documents sent registered mail, summons delivered by process server, public speaking three minutes face to face –and so on and such.

It was the quietest hearing eva. I objected to Ellenwood being present, reminded the black-robed pirate that I had disqualified him in prior litigation, and handed the bailiff –to court clerk= filed into the record, a Notice of Cease and Desist. Ellenwood’s futile attempt at mentioning a Statute of Limitation was quickly rebutted with, ‘The precedent court citation is in my documents. Would you like me re-read it for you’? That ended that. Reinholtsen, with no other Administrative choice, set another date.

I got sick –hospitalized. I didn’t have any intentions of going anyway. The main claim I had was warring against the Constitution. The wrongdoers have a right to a trial. That’s trial, singular. Not try-alls. Not one of them were present.

Of note; one of my other litigations, the theft of my Bravada by the un-friendly City of Fortuna’s vigilantes with a badge, just happened to have the same date in the afternoon as the date Reinholtsen set for the other two that same morning. I couldn’t physically make either one. The Bravada case got set to a later date. Z and the Med. MJ. Ordinance were dismissed. Hmmm.

This wasn’t my first Safari. When I filed I knew how it would come down. It is all of public record, and for the time, that was the best I could do for us.

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago

The more closely they follow the actual text of these religions, the worse they behave. It’s almost as if these religions were created in the bronze age and only persist to the extent that they abandon the tenants of the religions and adopt secular enlightenment values.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

What a hoot. As if most people would ever adopt “secular enlightenment values” as an alternative to religion anyway. Or as an alternative to basic self indulgence. If the words of most of the anti religion advocates here are any measure, they are just as dogmatic, mean, controlling, belittling and ignorant as worst relgious. In fact they are worse because they make it up as they go along without having any standards to check their beliefs for usefulness or achievement. It’s a lazy, vague way to pretend to virtue without personal inconvenience.

I suspect that the actual numbers of criminals are less in most modern religious groups but, when they violate their own standards, they seem so much more despicable. It’s like they get an automatic double penalty- one for the wrong they do and one because they ought to have been better.

A psychopath will use religion as a tool to get what they want, just like they lie, cheat and steal in every other way if they see that as getting them what they want. Those without religious values are the current winners of “the most evil done to others” category as little acts as a check for them. The most popular current choice as an alternative to religious values is no values at all.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

I would suggest that you google, “humanism.” The idea that there is no way to guide humanity’s moral compass without the threat of supernatural intervention is totally fallacious.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

Prove it. Heck, even argue it. Or even easier, articulate principles and how to apply them consistently. Or, if that is too hard, then link to some examples.

BTW I never said there are no guides outside of religion. Carefully reading, before rushing to belittle another, will be helpful to avoid the laziness of doing exactly what I said is typically done. That is doing what is easy, convenient and self aggrandizing. What I said there are no guides that any large part of the population WILL use to guide their own actions if it inconveniences them. Most people do not bother with acting based on principles, certainly not any ones that impede their impulses. They’d rather make vague statements about being nice or having empathy (if they want to be positive) or more reliably, spit out contempt without having the slightest intention to practice any principle except one-upmanship.

“It should be noted that atheism plays no part; as religion is held to be private and personal. Anglophone humanists, notably, have hijacked classical humanism for its finery and cachet, to promote religious acrimony.” https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-basic-principles-of-humanism That certainly pegs the common garden variety of humanism as used here. Most “humanist” remarks are only made to express pissy little bits of hate. Not very principled…

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
5 years ago

Since McKinley is coming down is it time for a Sponge Bob statue on the plaza?

LostCoastEMP
Guest
LostCoastEMP
5 years ago
Reply to  I like stars

I dont know…… is spongebob still considered “Gay”? On a serious note….. keep up the good fight Romy! Religion is manipulation,God is everywhere. Sounds like you found Him/Her.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  LostCoastEMP

Religion is a path. It is only manipulation when a person is forced to travel it without understanding by a tyrant who would be just as bad a tyrant if they had chosen other paths. Religion is a history of the choices others have made towards a goal so that it’s followers do not have to totally reinvent the path but can build on earlier discoveries. The paths evolve as needs must.

That formal religion is misused by those whose nature is to abuse should be no surprise. People who are intolerant or controlling will be so if they claim religious authority or not. The horrors done by any number of non religious people is plenty of evidence of that. You might as well say that democracy is evil because a mob forms to lynch a man or that parenthood is evil because there are bad parents. Even this comment section is misused by those who seek to control others because of their own inner demons. That does not make commenting evil.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago

Let he without sin cast the first stone. Harper Valley PTA song expresses the concept. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOZPBUu7Fro

Look after each other like you would your own brethren. Audits are for holding your circle accountable. FOIA auditing uncovers discrepancies like Slush Funds. (FWIW, the govt finally passed a bill forbidding congress from using tax payer dollars to hush up accusers). How many churches, schools, companies, clubs, etc., would be horrified to learn that their ‘dues’ and ‘tithes’ were going towards ‘slush funds’ that hush accusers?

All schools, clubs, churches, etc have ‘guilty’ people within, because there are guilty people everywhere. Blaming the weird policies of a church on ‘religion’ itself is questionable. Examining the Policies that govern each one is highly respectable.

We’re sick and tired of hearing about guilty people getting transferred or promoted instead of fired and arrested. (cops, priests, professors, doctors, ceo’s, politicians, …)

I wish the lady and others, a full recovery and full justice. May the truth of the matter shed it’s needed light.

Until then, my take away from this is:
Read your bible more and listen to talking heads less.
Read the constitution more and listen to the talking heads less.
Always question authority.

Be Nice, Burn Your Bible
Guest
Be Nice, Burn Your Bible
5 years ago
Reply to  shak

Talking Heads
Burning Down the House
https://youtu.be/_3eC35LoF4U

MasPuto
Guest
MasPuto
5 years ago

So beware if you have children when one of jeehovahs witnesses comes knocking on your door! Also beware of their little carts in front of stores etc. In watching that show was their two witness rule, when has there been two witnesses in a rape of a child or for that matter any rape? You can also lookup silentlambs.org to see if there are any pedos at your local kingdumb halls (church) near you. Looked up Ukiah and low and behold there’s one there to serve that community!!!