AUSTRALIA | TRANSCRIPT of Child Abuse Inquiry into Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower Society - April 2013

by jwleaks 54 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  DATA-DOG

  " Ms VAN WITSEN - At the moment, because there is no mandatory reporting for ministers of religion in Victoria, then the victim, who has very often had their dignity removed, is then put in the driver's seat."

  Was she trying to say that it was Australia's fault that the victim had to take the wheel?! Like she doesn't have a personal, moral obligation to protect children because there is no law mandating reporting by ministers?!

  Please Judge, we are on the victims side, and we understand why they would come to you, because they were forced to, due to inadequate laws. Don't fine us. Do your job and enact some laws!
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  Tylinbrando

  Was she trying to say that it was Australia's fault that the victim had to take the wheel?! Like she doesn't have a personal, moral obligation to protect children because there is no law mandating reporting by ministers?!

  YES Exactly! Unbelievable. I am actually a bit surprised by the amaturish interaction from the WT representatives. I could guess what's coming down the pike for them based on the ludicrous answers they provided in just this brief 17 pages.

  Austrailia has indeed been cruel to religions and now has an opportunity to display exactly why they are justified in doing so.
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  Theocratic Sedition

  Mr T. O'BRIEN - Yes, certainly. As I said, it is a textbook provided to congregation elders. It covers the
  primary responsibilities of an elder, which is their role as a teacher, as a shepherd and in matters of judging. It
  provides within the textbook direction on how to handle various situations: how to teach effectively, what the
  responsibilities are in shepherding others, and things of that nature. There are probably five or six paragraphs in
  the entire book of about 180 pages that have to do with child abuse, because child abuse is not something that
  Jehovah's Witnesses have a great deal of problem with.

  Classic.
• 

  Tylinbrando

  Apparently, the data base of 40,000+ abuse cases has not been brought to the attention of "The Chair"
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  Tylinbrando
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  nugget

  Just finished reading this. Their secret seems to be not to give a direct answer to any question. I cannot believe there are only 2 cases of child abuse in Victoria in 40 years. '(Even if they mean elders and MS's). They neglected to give the number of cases overall. I suppose this is spiritual warfare but it is also dishonest.

  Time and again it is stressed that the victim can report to authorities but they see no reason for elders to report independently.

  I found it extremely disheartening that procedure counts for more than proactive protection of children. I also found it upseting that they think that they are doing enough, there is no drive to change. The committee didn't even go into the area of warning parents of risk but I get the feeling that they found the whole thing very frustrating.
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  Tylinbrando

  I am left with the impression that "The Chair" is only getting warwed up with all of this. Referrence was made to O'brien not answering directly but needing to take legal counsel. "The Chair" stated they would be awaiting the answer as if it would be addressed at a later date.
• 

  jwleaks

  The CHAIR — Good afternoon. On behalf of the committee I welcome Mr Terrence O’Brien, director of the Society and Acting Branch Coordinator from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia (Jehovah’s Witnesses) ... I would like to open up the questioning to you and ask you: do you maintain records on the number, nature, extent and outcomes of allegations of any criminal abuse within your church?

  Mr T. OBRIEN — Sorry. Could you just repeat that? I did not quite catch that.

  TRANSLATION

  Mr T. OBRIEN — I know nothing.

  Mr McGUIRE — Okay. Religious personnel are not mandated reporters in Victoria. What is your church’s policy on reporting allegations of child sexual abuse to police or to child protection?

  Mr T. O’BRIEN — I missed a bit of the question again, sorry.

  Mr McGUIRE — Religious personnel are not mandated reporters in Victoria. What is your church’s policy on reporting allegations of criminal child abuse to police and child protection?

  Mr T. O’BRIEN — I did not quite understand.

  TRANSLATION

  Mr McGUIRE — What is your church’s policy on child protection?

  Mr T. O’BRIEN — I missed a bit of the question again, sorry.

  Mr McGUIRE — What is your church’s policy on child protection?

  Mr T. O’BRIEN — I did not quite understand.

  NOTHING TO SEE HERE FOLKS!

  

  JW LEAKS
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  Marvin Shilmer

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  A WHOPPER OF A LIE

  We have:

  The CHAIR — My question is: does the church maintain records on the number, nature and extent as well as the outcomes of any allegations of child abuse?

  Mr T. O’BRIEN — Yes, they do.

  Then:

  The CHAIR — Could you tell the committee how many numbers we are talking about — how many numbers your legal service has received in relation to abuse of any kind?

  Mr T. O’BRIEN — With regard to Victoria, I made an inquiry just before I left, because I anticipated the question. I asked to search our records over the last 40 years since we have had elders as an arrangement, and there have been two cases — two ministers who were reported and investigated. They were immediately removed as ministers, and both were disfellowshipped and they are no longer Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  With those words Mr. T. O’Brien, Director of Society and Acting Branch Coordinator, mislead the questioner to think over a span of 40 years there has been a total of 2 allegations of child abuse reported to Watchtower’s Australian Branch office.

  That’s a piece of Theocratic War Strategy in action if I’ve ever seen it!

  It’s disgusting!

  The Watchtower organization is full of rot from one end to the other.

  Marvin Shilmer
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  brinjen

  Still reading through it... saw the part about only "two cases". I'm sure a search through Victoria's newspaper, The Age from the last 40 years would reveal more than 2 cases of child abuse in the JW's... I think we can all safely say that.