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

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TruthTempest said:
So would it be accurate to say, at this point, that despite some high profile media attention (Anderson Cooper), and an overwhelming number of survivor stories related to HH and some IFB “schools” in general, this place still operates because legal recourse is limited and parents either don’t know, don’t believe, or don’t disagree with their methodology? Yes

If all of that is true, it seems like one potential avenue is to find the parents who “didn’t know” (may be a challenge if they fear backlash from their religious community) or to find recent survivors that still fall within the statute of limitations for pressing criminal and/or civil charges. Perhaps even former employees if there are any?

This is something very bizarre. The last girl we have contact with got out of there in 2009. It always was that it took 2-5 years for a young women who got out of there to recover and obtain enough freedom to get in touch with us, but 90% did. No it is nothing. To me it is ominous and frightening. My theory is that Williams/ SM Davis have incorporated their theories about adult (particularly female) children into the intake paperwork at Hephzibah House. These girls are no longer getting "out". I suspect they are being broken and conditioned at HH and then being released only under the authority or protection of a father or pastor or husband. This would mean to get out they must agree to put themselves under the complete control of this person who would undoubtably control all media access and social interaction. It is hard to explain the dynamic of servitude/headship in this cult. Williams writings are mostly hidden now (they were so terrible he incriminated himself over and over again), but SM Davis has his parenting adults course available online. Basically no one is an adult until they marry. Adult children who do not obey and submit to their parents are to be cut off from all contact or connection from all family members. Living away from home as a single adult is almost never permitted.

I’m not sure if this has been tried, or if it’s even available there, but there is an App called Next Door, which is kind of like Facebook, but it only reaches the local community that you reside in. It mostly deals with crime, lost pets, criminal activity (neighborhood watch type stuff) and items of community interest. Perhaps there is a way to delicately reach out to the locals through an app such as this to see if anyone comes forward?
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This would be a good avenue if we can find a local to get it started. It could be extremely powerful.
 
When I downloaded the app, I think I had to put in my zip code, and then it populated with “neighborhoods” that are geographically close to me. It may be possible for someone to connect with locals through the app (even if they are not in the same physical location) if they input the relevant zip code of the HH location.
 
Penhobby said:
I attended Hephzibah House from July-December in 1992. Disgruntled has done an amazing job detailing the horrific treatment that we all went through. So, there is not really much more I need to add. I am here for her. I hate talking about this. Oh hell, my hands are even shaking as I type this response. I will say this. The most horrific aspect of HH, for me, was the mental aspect.

Last March, after nearly 25 years, I finally decided it was time to get some help, as in therapy. I had never tried before. My mom tried to get me to speak to a Christian counselor right after, but I could not talk about it. I never talked about it. I did not ever tell my husband about it. I was told that therapy would help, but it would get worse, before it got better. They weren’t kidding. I started having night terrors every single night. I would wake up terrified, unable to go back to sleep. I would stay awake until time to go to work, and then come home to do it all over again. And every night, no matter how hard I tried not to, I would still visit HH in my dreams. I knew the smells in the dream, the scratchy texture of the urine soaked sheets under my fingers, but most of all I knew the suffocation of fear.

My first therapy attempt did not end well. I just wanted to sleep. I am fortunate that the second attempt was more successful. I had to take three months off from work to achieve that success, but it was a success. My therapist told me once that Hephzibah House raped our minds over and over again. That is exactly what it felt like. You arrived, a normal teenage girl, and by the time you left, there was nothing left of who you were. They took everything.
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Thank you for being here. I am so sorry for what you went through and continue to go through because of those monsters.
:welcome:
 
disgruntled said:
Right. They are also EXEMPT from current law regarding children in residential facilities because of their status as a private religious school under the umbrella of the church (their private church)
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Have you considered reporting your experience to the U.S. Attorney for Northern Indiana? The "school" could possibly be engaged in human trafficking of the girls who don't "graduate."

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/contact
 
disgruntled said:
I believe Becky married and changed her name, but she was still there last year and a wonderful person. We have worked with her a lot in the past.
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I suggest you go either to the State Attorney General or the U.S. Attorney and use her as a reference/witness. This is too horrific to be dealt with on a small town level.
 
Hope4More said:
It might be helpful to have a separate resource thread attached to this one, to include actionable suggestions, and background research that has already been done/that is being done.
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Would you be willing to take that on?

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
Penhobby said:
I attended Hephzibah House from July-December in 1992. Disgruntled has done an amazing job detailing the horrific treatment that we all went through. So, there is not really much more I need to add. I am here for her. I hate talking about this. Oh hell, my hands are even shaking as I type this response. I will say this. The most horrific aspect of HH, for me, was the mental aspect.

Last March, after nearly 25 years, I finally decided it was time to get some help, as in therapy. I had never tried before. My mom tried to get me to speak to a Christian counselor right after, but I could not talk about it. I never talked about it. I did not ever tell my husband about it. I was told that therapy would help, but it would get worse, before it got better. They weren’t kidding. I started having night terrors every single night. I would wake up terrified, unable to go back to sleep. I would stay awake until time to go to work, and then come home to do it all over again. And every night, no matter how hard I tried not to, I would still visit HH in my dreams. I knew the smells in the dream, the scratchy texture of the urine soaked sheets under my fingers, but most of all I knew the suffocation of fear.

My first therapy attempt did not end well. I just wanted to sleep. I am fortunate that the second attempt was more successful. I had to take three months off from work to achieve that success, but it was a success. My therapist told me once that Hephzibah House raped our minds over and over again. That is exactly what it felt like. You arrived, a normal teenage girl, and by the time you left, there was nothing left of who you were. They took everything.
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Welcome to WS, and thank you for sharing.

As a side note, if you don't get anywhere with your current therapy, talk to your therapist about EMDR.

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vmmking said:
Would you be willing to take that on?

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Yes........(um....it's been a long while since I started a thread- could you please point me in the direction of the "how to's" for doing so? ;)
 
I think peaceful protests away from the property where there is heavy traffic sounds like a good idea but sounds as though that has been done in the past?
Huffington Post is liberal slanting and they do investigative reports. At the end of most articles they ask for anyone with news or tips to contact them.

ETA...how about an online petition. If enough sign there might be pressure to investigate.
 
Someone posted yesterday about a letter that had been sent to the IndyStar investigative team that became the catalyst of the investigation and eventual prosecution of U.S. gymnast doctor, Larry Nassar.

Being since the IndyStar is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, maybe this would be a good place to start with sending them a letter and asking them if they would help? Maybe since HH is located in Indiana, they’d be more willing to check it out?

Here’s their email contact:
IndyStar Investigations Team, investigations@indystar.com

They have a whole team of investigative reporters there, but Steve Berta is the Investigative Team Leader.
phone: (317) 444-6280

Steve Berta’s email and Twitter:
https://www.indystar.com/staff/10047990/steve-berta/


0acfedb31d6513fa3710fcd0c44f2e71.jpg
 
Hope4More said:
Yes........(um....it's been a long while since I started a thread- could you please point me in the direction of the "how to's" for doing so? ;)
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Haha. I'm terrible at it! That's part of why I tried to pass it off to someone else. I usually muck it up.

Anyone else have advice?

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vmmking said:
Haha. I'm terrible at it! That's part of why I tried to pass it off to someone else. I usually muck it up.

Anyone else have advice?

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
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do we need mod approval to start a media type thread? I can start one tomorrow, call it “Hephzibah House Media and Resources” ? ?
 
Spellbound said:
do we need mod approval to start a media type thread? I can start one tomorrow, call it “Hephzibah House Media and Resources” ? ?
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Not that I am aware of.

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Penhobby said:
I attended Hephzibah House from July-December in 1992. Disgruntled has done an amazing job detailing the horrific treatment that we all went through. So, there is not really much more I need to add. I am here for her. I hate talking about this. Oh hell, my hands are even shaking as I type this response. I will say this. The most horrific aspect of HH, for me, was the mental aspect.

Last March, after nearly 25 years, I finally decided it was time to get some help, as in therapy. I had never tried before. My mom tried to get me to speak to a Christian counselor right after, but I could not talk about it. I never talked about it. I did not ever tell my husband about it. I was told that therapy would help, but it would get worse, before it got better. They weren’t kidding. I started having night terrors every single night. I would wake up terrified, unable to go back to sleep. I would stay awake until time to go to work, and then come home to do it all over again. And every night, no matter how hard I tried not to, I would still visit HH in my dreams. I knew the smells in the dream, the scratchy texture of the urine soaked sheets under my fingers, but most of all I knew the suffocation of fear.

My first therapy attempt did not end well. I just wanted to sleep. I am fortunate that the second attempt was more successful. I had to take three months off from work to achieve that success, but it was a success. My therapist told me once that Hephzibah House raped our minds over and over again. That is exactly what it felt like. You arrived, a normal teenage girl, and by the time you left, there was nothing left of who you were. They took everything.
Click to expand...

:Welcome1: i am so glad to have you join us here. You wrote a very good first post! Thank you for sharing with us, and trusting us with your story. Please, feel free to share more if/when it feels right.

I do hope you are doing better now. Things like this stay with us forever, but they also make many a kinder and more compassionate person. I hate that you went through something so detrimental and harmful, but it take people like you to help make changes. We will do our best to make that happen.

:grouphug:
 
I thought this was going to be easy. Report it to the FBI. Done . Finished.

Nope. I had no idea this kind of thing was allowed to exist.
 
I have been reading all the posts here and am blown away. I thought this was just a discussion to bring awareness, but you guys are actually doing something about this.

We've been working on this for decades. I myself have been involved since 2009. We've held protests, been on local and national news. We've written or met with the pastors of the churches who support HH and places like it. But over time the strain gets, well unbearable. My sisters that are there now are never far from my thoughts. I feel responsible. I'm out, while they are still trapped in hell.

Reading this thread gives me hope, which I haven't had in a very long time. It feels like we're not alone. I cannot begin to express into words my relief and gratitude. Thank you, so much!
 
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