Bittners/By Grace Alone

[Drunkenbutterfly]

the link is not working!

Fixed, I think.

[fundiefan]

the link is not working!

And about the 3 out of 4 teens who made it ok.... how about you don't live in such a strict environment and all 4 teens make it out ok? O_o it's baffling she would even say something like that. I don't know many teens that had as much problems as P had...

Between my mom and her husband, there were four of us. I am the second oldest of the four kids and they got married when I was 12 so there was definitely the whole 'teen years' thing going on with all four of us. Even with all the crazy hell in our lives and the alcoholism and abuse, all four of us kids made it through our teen years in tact, without a criminal record and without turning to drugs or alcohol. Not because we had great parents - we had anything but, actually - but I think because we had great support in our other family and our friends. Nothing was hidden or buried under the rug and no one pretended the bad didn't exist.

I wonder how many of these uber fundie families have extended family who are not in their inner circle, who would be willing to help a hurting child, or even adult? I mean, we know people like the Maxwell's have no family that would take in Sarah, or call out Steve on his sick way of life. But, do they all separate themselves so completely from extended family that there really isn't an aunt or cousin or anyone who could help?

I trusted my aunt and uncles and went to them for help. I trusted my best friend's mom and went to her. They were all there and its to them I owe my life and sanity. I cannot imagine what it is like to be so isolated from 'others' that there isn't a single person you can turn to or trust. That has got to be the worst feeling in the world.

[apple1]

Read Jacqueline's 8/11/2011 post. Is she perhaps speaking of her sister Priscilla:

jacquelinemb.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-10-27T08:32:00-07:00&max-results=15

I really think this family is not the happy, Christian family they present to the world via Jacqueline's blog. She was likely sexually abused by someone either in the home or close to the family.

I'm late to this thread.

I am not seeing any 8/11/2011 post. Removed??

[Drunkenbutterfly]

I'm late to this thread.

I am not seeing any 8/11/2011 post. Removed??

Nope, it is actually 8/01/2011.

[apple1]

Nope, it is actually 8/01/2011.

Got it.

That's a very strange way to refer to this whole saga (if that is the case).

[JesusFightClub]

I feel bitterly sorry for both P and the kids. This is not a family I follow but just reading the posts it seems like an utter tragedy on every level. I hope they get the help they all need.

[haveapicniclife]

Wow, what a horrific story.

I don't get the connection between Priscilla and the TV documentary about the 'reform school'. Priscilla isn't the main person being interviewed, is she?

It's kind of confusing because the picture shows her real name, the article uses her middle name of Anne to protect her privacy.

Here's the same article, PDF format, that uses the correct names (it's a bit easier to read, imo) http://www.heal-online.org/ifb041211.pdf

[debrand]

Her past does not excuse her abusing other victims but her life must have been nightmarish for a long time.

Is she in prison now? Has she already been convicted? Hopefully, she will get good psychological help while in jail.

[haveapicniclife]

Debrand, from what I can tell, she was formally charged and arrested on Dec 23rd.

[Guest Anonymous]

It's kind of confusing because the picture shows her real name, the article uses her middle name of Anne to protect her privacy.

Here's the same article, PDF format, that uses the correct names (it's a bit easier to read, imo) http://www.heal-online.org/ifb041211.pdf

Thank you.

So, if I have it right:

-In 2010, age 16, P was gang-raped and turned to alcohol to cope

-Parents took her 'on holiday' and while there enrolled her in a 'Reform school' where she was told her rape was her own fault, beaten, starved, humiliated and told she was speaking the Devil's words.

-In 2011 she came home and was diagnosed with PTSD.

-In August 2011 Her behaviour was still 'out of control' so she was sent to live with another fundie family

-In October 2011, she went missing for a week, but was found and returned to fundie family.

-Fundie family found videos of abuse on P's laptop in October and handed them into police leading to P's arrest in Dec 2011

-P's family celebrate Christmas 2011 with a public photo-fest on her sister's blog.

Is that about it?

What a terrible fucking tragedy - I hope that all involved are being investigated.

[Drunkenbutterfly]

Since I am a foreigner and don't know anything about the American law system, can somebody explain to me the difference between 1st and 2nd degree assault?

[debrand]

Apparently, the mother wanted an easy fix for her child. The girl was drinking and doing drugs to hide her pain. Most parents would have sought local, qualified professionals. They should have known that their daughter's recovery would take work and time. Instead, they wanted a quick fix that didn't involve a lot of work on their part.

Desperate, Jeannie Marie turned to her church for help, learning about a Christian reform school that she says promised to "get right" her wayward daughter

I don't understand turning to churches for help with this type of problem. How the hell was a pastor more qualified to help her daughter than a licensed therapist who had experience with rape victims?

I think that the family had the attitude that there was a quick solution to their daughter's problems. They didn't want to face that prayer and a smiling face might not have been enough. There was probably also some blame on the victim for not being able to conquer her PTSD through the force of her own will.

[Guest Anonymous]

So in October there had been much press interest in P's week long disappearance. But in early November, J wrote in her blog comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi! I've been following your blog since Alexis was born, I happened onto it by accident in a google search for something else, and I have found your family to be such an inspiration. I was just noticing that Priscilla is not in your photos and I seem to recall she had some health problems awhile back. Is she okay?

November 1, 2011 10:45 PM

Jacqueline said...

Thanks for reading. :) Actually, Priscilla was out of town while we were on vacation. She has had a few more health problems recently, but nothing as extreme as when she was hospitalized. Thank-you for your concern and continued prayers for her!

Love and blessings,

~Jacqueline

November 3, 2011 5:23 AM

And then on 23 December, her sister was arrested for multiple child abuse charges. But in her blog, Christmas Eve was noted as different to usual because...

This year Daniel was bringing home someone special to meet the family, and wasn't able to fly in until the 26th. Upon first hearing this news all of the children were convinced that Christmas was never going to be the same again... and it won't be (but in a good way).

[Constance Vigilance]

This is so, so so, so horrible in all ways.

[WanderingStar]

This is the first time I've heard of the Bittners, and I honestly don't know what to say. My head is spinning. The whole ordeal is so tragic...

[Guest Anonymous]

Apparently, the mother wanted an easy fix for her child. The girl was drinking and doing drugs to hide her pain. Most parents would have sought local, qualified professionals. They should have known that their daughter's recovery would take work and time. Instead, they wanted a quick fix that didn't involve a lot of work on their part.

I don't understand turning to churches for help with this type of problem. How the hell was a pastor more qualified to help her daughter than a licensed therapist who had experience with rape victims?

Apparently, their teenage daughter had been gang-raped and in order to 'fix' her, her parents signed a consent form for a reform school to beat with a paddle up to 15 times every 24 hours.

Everyone involved ought to be arrested and questioned. Everyone.

And for fucks sake, they should take the blog down. The Christmas photos taken the day after P's arrest are more horrific even than anything silli pippi Beasley wrote about the sister-in-law that was shot dead by her brother. And I never thought I'd say that.

[Discobiscuit]

Quoting anniec's earlier post:

And then on 23 December, her sister was arrested for multiple child abuse charges. But in her blog, Christmas Eve was noted as different to usual because...

Quote:

This year Daniel was bringing home someone special to meet the family, and wasn't able to fly in until the 26th. Upon first hearing this news all of the children were convinced that Christmas was never going to be the same again... and it won't be (but in a good way).

If this is referring to Priscilla's absence, in light of the family's "treatment" for her behavior after a GANG RAPE, this is too horrible to be borne.

[Guest Anonymous]

Well, they are referring to Daniel's absence for Christmas Eve, and totally sideskipping Priscilla....

[booksnbeats]

Quoting anniec's earlier post:

If this is referring to Priscilla's absence, in light of the family's "treatment" for her behavior after a GANG RAPE, this is too horrible to be borne.

Seriously. And she had something about proving their family wasn't picture-perfect by posting a photo of them goofing off. Uh, your family isn't picture-perfect because you SENT YOUR TRAUMATIZED CHILD OFF TO BE BEATEN BY RADICALS.

[Discobiscuit]

I misread. My bad. . .

This is the bind these fundie families put themselves in when they try to show the world that being uber-Christian means never having difficulties or pain. They can't let the horrible things Priscilla suffered or did be aired; they can't even admit that she or they really need some prayers right now. I understand not wanting to put all your business out in public, but when a family member's disappearance and arrest are public news, it's disturbing not to acknowledge it.

[Guest Anonymous]

I understand not wanting to put all your business out in public, but when a family member's disappearance and arrest are public news, it's disturbing not to acknowledge it.

I would expect them either to find a way to acknowledge something even if to mention that something terribly painful had happened, or to just leave the blog alone for a while. Or make it private. Or something. As it is, they just look like obnoxious evil dicks, celebrating Christmas so openly, while the young daughter is in prison and two young children have had their lives wrecked.

[Mudgie]

This is the subject that's brought me out of lurkdom. It's absolutely horrifying and terrifying what has happened to this girl and what she has now inflicted on other children. I know this family is Gothard but how well-known or popular are they in fundie circles? I'm wondering what the outcome of this girl's rape was. Was there any arrest or prosecution of the people who did this to her?

If her sister is posting photographs and details of her sister's medical condition on her blog and using vague terminology like pubic infection when it's in fact an after effect of a gang rape that is just beyond heinous and disgusting.

It's absolutely criminal that those two young children were molested and if she did do it she should absolutely be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But I can't help but feel that her parents should be prosecuted for what they've done to her after she was raped. Their solution to "fix" their child is to send her to a camp full of abuse instead of keeping her close and safe and getting her the psychological help she probably desperately needed. It's very, very sad.

She's obviously a very troubled girl and unfortunately for everyone involved she's now a pedophile. The whole thing is just sick and disgusting and so many adults should be bearing responsibility in this story.

I wonder what effect this will have on her Father's military career and standing.

[frumperlicious]

I used to live next door to this family, around the time she was pregnant with Isaac, on Ft. Lewis. My oldest and her twins were the same age (about) and I thought they could play together...but no, the kids were only allowed to play with siblings. That's what she told me, maybe it was cause we were pants-wearing heathens, LOL. It funny to look at picture of the twins with big ol hairbows and little girl dresses, because my DD is wearing black skinny jeans and a motorcycle jacket at the same age. They look so "little-girly" compared to her! And I think they are a bit older, maybe a year or 2.

They rarely talked to anyone in the neighborhood, and would shoo the kids back in if the neighborhood kids were out playing. The mostly played outside during the day when kids were at school. We homeschool, too, and my DD used to wave at them, and they would wave back, but thats about it. Pretty strange.The family that knew them best (outside of their church, they did a lot of church stuff) was another homeschooling neighbor, with many (6? I forget?) kids, but they were (gasp!) Mormon so they weren't exactly close, either. But they were at least friendlier to them, I still can't figure why my family was so much more heathen as to rate no contact at all...

They also used to be much more conservative clothing-wise, with girls in long skirts and sometimes mom and girls in frumpers. They are downright stylish now, and often in pants according to their blog, I never saw them in pants before. While on their blog now they seem to have a lot of social engagements, back then they were extremely isolated other than church. Extremely- like couldn't talk to or play with the neighbor kids, even. They went no where but church.

That's my background with the Bittners, and I am so shocked and saddened and pretty much disgusted at the turn of events with Priscilla. Did they get the poor girl any real therapy or care after her horrific rape? Or just pray it away and that terrible "school"? What were they thinking!? I realize Jeanette is on TV saying she didn't know the school would be like that, but hello- wouldn't you investigate before shipping your very emotionally damaged daughter there, against her will? What Priscilla has apparently done is horrific. I can't help but think some of the blame should be shared by her family though, for not getting her proper mental health care and sweeping it all under the rug (if that is indeed what they did). And those Christmas pictures are just gross- your emotionally destroyed daughter is in JAIL, and you take Christmas pictures and pretend she never existed?? That speaks volumes.

This is my first post, I delurked once before but forgot my log in and all that- it may have been on the old board, even. I'm a pea, by the way...for those who might know that. Hello all!

[Mudgie]

Well I can understand keeping the holiday and the holiday traditions as normal as possible for the sake of the younger children. It has to be upsetting enough for them for their sister to "disappear" and who knows what they're being told about it. I don't know that I'd blog about it as though everything is happy, shiny and fully of joy.

[meow139]

Oh, wow.... pedophilia... umm.....