The Australian Royal Commission hearings on the JWs handling of child abuse begins here in the US later today. It will be streamed. (page 4)

Tornintwo

They have the elders manual and are using it to disprove many of the answers by this elder.

He says its now accepted to have the witness not face the accuser in a JC, they bring out the book to show that it doesn't say that unless they live a great distance away. He said they can have a parent or someone else present for moral support, they show the book does not state that. They also highlight the instructions in the book to 'put the accused at ease' whilst there is no counsel to assist the accuser/victim.

Having the book examined and quoted in the public domain will be very revealing to the world and I am sure maddening for the GB.

This elder is probably very, very glad that the day is over.

LostGeneration

Love, love, love that they are using their own little book against them!

Not that many JWs will see this stuff in its entirety, but might make a few scratch their heads if the press reports on this book in their articles!

C0ntr013r

Anyone have day one uploaded somewhere so we can watch it from the beginning?

smiddy

Towards the end of today`s hearing the Elders manual is quoted as saying words to the effect , that the perpetrator is under a lot of stress , traumatized , and needs support . { my words not theirs }

No such thing is said about the victims or how traumatized they are and no support given.

The Sydney Morning Herald , The Australian ,The Herald Sun , Newspapers and on-line feeds are covering this story as well as the ABC Broadcasting Radio and TV stations , to name a few of Australian Media.

The options are their to .F.B , Twitter , and Blog , etc , this story so as to give this story as wide a publicity as possible to all and sundry.

Please do so .

P.S.

If every other day for the next two weeks is anything like today`s hearing , then all I can say is WHOOOPEEEE .!!

smiddy

OrphanCrow

Doug Jackson slipped right at the very end. He said that "the guilty party" can request to have support people at the hearing. I think that the question was about the person making the allegations having support people and he called the victim "the guilty party".

I have a feeling that Jackson is going to have his ass handed to him tomorrow. The judge already is not impressed with him.

Max Horley slipped, too. And he knew it - he used the words "keep it under wraps" when he was talking about why the victim was told not to talk about the abuse to others. He cringed when those words slipped out. He was obviously coached about how to phrase his replies and he cracked under the questioning.

The options are their to .F.B , Twitter , and Blog , etc , this story so as to give this story as wide a publicity as possible to all and sundry.
Please do so .
smiddy

Already on my facebook feed. Set to public view.

ScenicViewer

Max Horley slipped ... he used the words "keep it under wraps" when he was talking about why the victim was told not to talk about the abuse to others. He cringed when those words slipped out.

You could tell that he wanted to take those words back as soon as they slipped out. His facial expression and body language said it all!

That kind of language is supposed to be internal, said only among other elders, but it came right out of his mouth and am I glad it did!

smiddy

BBC 4 Radio in the U.K. about child sex abuse , now the Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse in Australia , we can only hope other Countries follow suit and have their own investigations into Child Sex Abuse within the Jehovah`s Witness religion .

After all , these people are knocking on doors where children are present and sometimes Adults are not at home.

And what is becoming evident , the problem is much more widespread than previously believed .

It`s not just an isolated case of here and their .

smiddy

Tornintwo

Where can you read transcripts? Any links...?

imagining the cult responses of the die-hard...

'that was years ago, we have different procedures in place now'

answer a) didn't Jehovah appoint this organisation in 1919, surely he's powerful enough to keep his organization clean of this kind of abhorrent abuse? After all Jehovah doesn't change so why couldn't he have the right policies in place from the start.

b) yes, I believe the commission will be examining the current procedures from the elders handbook (heavy sarcasm)

'Local elders made mistakes'

answer: 1006 cases not reported by the police? That's just in Australia, doesn't sound like local mistakes, sounds like there may be a policy issue.

'don't believe everything your hear, they are 'worldly' courts'

answer, aren't the authorities put in their positions by Jehovah, aren't we taught to be in subjection to them, doesnt the witness organisation appeal to these same 'worldly' courts when they want to establish their legal rights?

Anymore ideas?

Wonder what will be said in morning worship at the Australian bethel?

Mephis

The 'different procedures now' was covered in the proceedings today. The judge and QC kept referencing them back to the Shepherding book and asking them why their instructions were exactly the same as before and, at one stage, the judge asked the CO directly to give an example of how they have changed. The CO couldn't give one. The CO, right at the end of today's proceedings, introduced the idea of letters from HQ changing things, so it's there to be followed up on. To me though what stands out is the direct evidence of it not having changed - what happened in Australia with regards to the victims being forced to confront their abusers also happened just last year in Manchester, UK - and is one of the reasons why they are being investigated here too.

iwasblind

Here is another link -praying for justice for all of these victims.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-27/jehovahs-witnesses-child-sexual-abuse-royal-commission/6649340

The Australian Royal Commission hearings on the JWs handling of child abuse begins here in the US later today. It will be streamed.

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