Beside's God, should you have to confess your sins before an audience?

I remember this one time, a really cool couple had come to the church, joined and were so totally involved and were so great with the teenagers. They of course, like you are encouraged to do, invited their families to come and visit. The man's sister started coming, along with some other family members, the woman's parents started coming too. Well the sister in particular, she didn't seem to "FIT" in to the crowd as I recall. Maybe she saw things for what they really were, but after a few months of attending, she wound up...dun dun dunnnn...PREGNANT...OUT OF WEDLOCK...GASP!! Now, I do not necessarily condone this action, but I believe this choice is between you and God, and if you sin it's between you and He to ask for repentance. When the Pastors found out, the girl was given the option to either stand before the congregation and give a public apology of her sins and repent to the people for her actions or she could leave the church. Of course a young girl, who was already confused enough as it is, made the decision to just leave. Well because of this the entire rest of her family left as well. I recall hearing that before this there was a lady who had committed adultery and was made to do the same thing, but afterwards her shame was so great and she wasn't treated the same, felt it best for her to leave as well. So if either way your going to be treated differently, why make a fool of yourself I say. This option was laid before several others, who had "strayed away from the fold" for one reason or another and I only recall two young adult males who actually did it so they could stay at the church or return.