Not Reporting Child Abuse Should Be Prosecuted

by usualusername1 12 Replies latest jw friends

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  Diogenesister

  I should note that the recommendation regarding 'mandated reporters' would not include Jehovah's Witnesses as they are neither a regulated activity in relation to children, nor in a position of trust (as defined by the Sexual Offences Act 2003

  Elders are in a position of trust. Surely you are not suggesting they aren't? I thought that had been established in the majority of western cases. Watchtower's elders 'are clergy/are not clergy' manoeuvres have been found out and debunked!

  In the UK we don't have mandatory reporting in all cases for the reasons Earnest noted in bold type above. Victims and families/child services have fears around teenage relationships where, for example, a teenaged girl and her boyfriend of similar age may be reluctant to access contraception for fear of being reported.
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  Earnest

  Diogenesister : Elders are in a position of trust. Surely you are not suggesting they aren't?

  The recommendation of the Inquiry is that any person working in a position of trust (as defined by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, as amended) should be a mandated reporter.

  Section 21 of the Sexual Offences Act defines what a "position of trust" is, and on that basis I was saying that elders are not in a position of trust as defined by the Sexual Offences Act. However, section 22A (which was inserted on 28.6.2022) defines further positions of trust and this states :

  (1) ... a person (A) is in a position of trust in relation to another person (B) if —

  (a) A coaches, teaches, trains, supervises or instructs B, on a regular basis, in a sport or a religion, and

  (b) A knows that they coach, teach, train, supervise or instruct B, on a regular basis, in that sport or religion.

  On this basis I must withdraw my conclusion that Jehovah's Witnesses are not included in the definition of "a position of trust". In fact, it seems to me that this would include anyone conducting a Bible study. Thanks, Dio.
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  ThomasMore

  Will WTC try their best to avoid compliance with a reporting law? Of course. protecting Abusers is in their DNA.

  Should we just say “OK - that is just how they are” and stop pursuing them for their misdeeds? By no means.