Leadership Dilemmas

Dilemma #1
To Train or Not to Train?

Dilemma #2
Charges of sexual harassment, but no direct evidence

Dilemma #3
Pagan leader is abusive to students.

Do you have an opinoin or a dilemma to pose? Then...

© 1990 - 2001 Celestial Tides

Dilemma #2

Charges of Sexual Harassment,
But No Direct Evidence

You are part of a young group. You have not been together for more than a year. There are between 10 - 20 of you, and you still don't know everyone very well.

Another leader in the community approaches you and tells you that one of your members has been accused - independently - by two women associated with the Pagan community of having sexually harassing them. The women claim that he touched them inappropriately (and sexually) even though the women repeatedly asked him to stop. (This supposedly took place while on a date with each of the women.)

You talk as a group about the charges and you talk to the member. He denies it. However, word is quickly spreading that you are harboring a sexual predator in your group. You don't know the member well enough to know if he is lying or not. You don't know the women well enough to know if they are lying or not - although one of them has always seemed pretty stable.

This issue is tearing your group apart.

Do you:

1) Kick the member out?

2) Support the member and keep them in the group?

3) Do something in-between.

Your Views

Conner - November 29, 2000

Well I would address the accused in private to persuade him or her, to possiblly take a break from involvement with the group. This Time would allow him or her to clear their name. Also if they are a caring person and understand they would see the logic of selfsacrifice for the group. The time period could be Three weeks to a month or two. During that time as leader you maintain contact with the accused. From this rapport, you will understand them better. If the person is in earnst they will clear themselves. Once this is done have the coven welcome them back from their long journey, OPENLY.

If the accused refuses, the request printed above. Their are self-involved and not a good candidate for the coven and as a leader you must dismiss them for the sake of the whole.

Greg - November 20, 2000

(I'm a High Priest for the Terra Craft coven of Leesport)
(I'm a hereditary witch)

Excluding someone from the group is wrong. You must stand up for the coven member that is in your group even if you don't know them that well. They know the Laws of Karma and if they are lying they will be punished anyway. People are innocent until proven guilty. Personally, if I don't know someone well enough to tell if they are lying and if they couldn't meet with in a year I wouldn't include them in my coven.

The Crone - November 6, 2000

My solution would be very close to Lord Kale's. Only instead of calling the three of them into open coven, I would have them all called to council. They would all be advised before we would start that it is against the Laws to falsely accuse someone of something in council. That it would result in the accuser accepting the punishment. If the accused is guilty then he will accept the punishment of the Goddess of Judgment that will be called to over hear the case. Leave them to think it over and then if none backs down precede with the trial. Watching carefully and let the Goddess get to the truth and hand out the judgment. Blessed Be

Neil - September 24, 2000

(Neil is a 14 year old male, Wiccan.)

id ask the coven if they wanted to kick him out and if they cant make a unanimous decision then id filp a coin and ask the gods/sprits to guide them (no joke ive seen this happen before in my circle)

Lord Kale of the Dragon Clan - August 7, 2000

if this case be true then in open court with all members present let the acused and the acusers have it out! with the rule that none shall touch the others by watching there actions there body language and mannerism and there mental state one will shurly know the truth. then as a group decide there fate in your group and act on it once and with absolute finality

Siris - July 29, 2000

Wiccan, one year experi ence

I would keep the accused member in the coven, at least until i had more evidence. It's unfair to isolate anyone from then pagan community because of unsupported allegations.

This question posed on July 10, 2000.