Could the Independent Inquiry in England and Wales expose jw.org's child abuse failures? And how can we help?

by defender of truth 69 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  defender of truth

  With all the talk about the org's policies and failures regarding child sexual abuse being publically exposed in Australia, I thought that it may be a good time to highlight this..
  

  I apologise if this has already been discussed, but on the 9th of July the Independent Inquiry into child sexual abuse in England and Wales was opened.

  Here is some information regarding it's aims.

  "About the Inquiry

  The Inquiry offers an unprecedented opportunity to examine the extent to which institutions and organisations in England and Wales have taken seriously their responsibility to protect children.

  The Inquiry will investigate a wide range of institutions including:

  ... churches, mosques and other religious organisations
  

  charities and voluntary organisations"

  www.csa-inquiry.independent.gov.uk/about-the-inquiry

  "09 July 2015 By admin

  The Independent Inquiry into child sex abuse in England and Wales opened this morning with a statement from Lowell Goddard, and a warning that the Inquiry may last until 2020.

  Justice Goddard, who was appointed Chair of the Inquiry in February after a turbulent few months following the resignation of Fiona Woolf, used her opening comments to say that the sexual abuse of children has left “scars” not only on victims, but on society as a whole.

  “This inquiry,” she said, “provides a unique opportunity to expose past failures of institutions to protect children, to confront those responsible, to uncover systemic failures, to provide support to victims and survivors, in sharing their experiences, and to make recommendations that will help prevent the sexual abuse and exploitation of children in the future.”

  She also stated that she hoped to have concluded the Inquiry by 2020, but does not underestimate the size of the task which faces her, describing it as “daunting”.
  

  The Inquiry will investigate how public bodies failed to act to prevent the abuse of children."

  http://www.childabuseinquirynews.co.uk/independent-inquiry-opened-by-lowell-goddard/

  This page will help you keep up-to-date, if you wish to bookmark it..

  www.childabuseinquirynews.co.uk/
  
• 

  cofty

  I have been wondering the same thing. I doubt if they have a detailed agenda yet but perhaps we could write and make a suggestion.
• 

  defender of truth

  This could make all the difference, if enough people have the courage to speak out..
  

  If anyone wants to share their experience with the Inquiry, here is the link.
  

  "Contact us

  Victims and Survivors: share your experience
  

  Sharing information with us will help us to investigate institutional failures to protect children from sexual abuse.

  We want to hear from anyone who was sexually abused as a child in an institutional setting like a care home, a school, or a religious, voluntary or state organisation.

  We also want to hear from anyone who reported their sexual abuse as a child to a person in authority like a police officer or teacher where the report was either ignored or not properly acted on.

  You can tell us as much, or as little, as you want about your experience. To get in touch, you can:..."

  www.csa-inquiry.independent.gov.uk/submit-information
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  defender of truth

  Cofty, this is the only schedule I could find. It shows the stages of the inquiry anyway:

  www.csa-inquiry.independent.gov.uk/how-we-work
  
• 

  The Searcher

  I eagerly await the Charities Commission Inquiries which will only target the Org.

  After the U.K. Branch hired one of the most famous and expensive Queen's Counsel in Britain, (who failed miserably in his calculated devious gamble to have it thrown out of the High Court) the Charities Commission will be even more determined to bring this Org's corrupt practices out into the open.

  Brooklyn have even more reason to worry about this one, because if my understanding is correct, the C.C. can remove any charity's charitable status.

  How much tax would have to be paid when the London properties & K.H.'s are sold in future?

  We can hope!
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  Brokeback Watchtower

  Hey I think this inquiry thing might spread to many countries that are dealing with the same issues.
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  defender of truth

  If you are reading this and have even so much as reported abuse to an elder and no action was taken, here is the link again for you to assist the Inquiry:

  www.csa-inquiry.independent.gov.uk/submit-information
• 

  defender of truth

  "The truth project within the inquiry is designed to enable anyone who was been sexually abused to explain what happened to them.
  Based on the Australian experience, it will involve private sessions at which victims and survivors can go to one of six regional centres and recount their experiences.
  They will speak to a member of the panel. Their information will remain confidential. It is intended to constitute a form of national census recording those who claim they have been abused.
  The information will also be anonymised and aggregated to build up a picture of the extent of abuse in particular institutions, identifying systemic problems. It will also feed into the type of questions that need to be addressed and provide a quantitive indication as to whether sexual abuse is under-reported. They will also be allowed to record personal comments. "
  "In public hearings a selected 25 cases in which particular patterns of institutional failings have been detected will be investigated in open sessions. "
  "Goddard said on Thursday her statutory inquiry had the necessary powers and she was prepared to use them to force individuals and institutions to give evidence." (Talking about those accused of abuse or failing to protect children, not victims. Just to be clear.)www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jul/09/thousands-child-abuse-victims-invited-testify-truth-project-lowell-goddard-independent-inquiry
  Regarding the public hearings:
  "The Public Hearings ProjectThe Public Hearings Project will resemble a conventional public inquiry, where witnesses give evidence on oath and are subject to cross examination.
  The Inquiry will select case studies from a range of institutions that appear to illustrate a pattern of institutional failings. Each hearing will last for around six weeks.
  A hearing may relate to a particular individual who appears to have been enabled to sexually abuse children in institutional settings.
  ##Or it may relate to an institution that appears to have demonstrated repeated failings over a number of years.##
  Evidence is likely to be taken from both representatives of the institutions under investigation and from victims and survivors of sexual abuse."
  It appears that if enough people are willing to give evidence about the mishandling of child abuse in the organisation, a pattern would be built up, and representatives of the org could be forced to attend a public cross examination.
  Only if many people are willing to come forward, though, and make the pattern of REPEATED FAILINGS clear to this Inquiry.
  Those brave people could potentially lead to a public exposure similar to what is happening in Australia now..
  Please spread the word to those in England and Wales with an experience to share, even if it was simply that they reported something to the elders and nothing was done.
  There should be thousands of these stories. There is NO TIME LIMIT to the experiences you can give, can't find the quote but trust me.
  This could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance here in the UK to help publically call the Watchtower to the stand, to make them account for their failure to protect children..
  Will we let it pass, or will we act?..(or at least encourage and inform those who may be able to act?)
  
  www.csa-inquiry.independent.gov.uk/submit-information
  
• 

  zeb

  I beg all the ex jw and current of conscience who have knowledge or who know of someone who has been cut by the wt horrid practice's of dealing with abuse to write contact the inquiry.
• 

  defender of truth

  BTTT

  Bear in mind what's happening in Australia.

  Just want to repeat part of my above post:

  "In public hearings a selected 25 cases in which particular patterns of institutional failings have been detected will be investigated in open sessions. "

  "Goddard said on Thursday her statutory inquiry had the necessary powers and she was prepared to use them to force individuals and institutions to give evidence."

  "The Inquiry will select case studies from a range of institutions that appear to illustrate a pattern of institutional failings. Each hearing will last for around six weeks.

  A hearing may relate to a particular individual who appears to have been enabled to sexually abuse children in institutional settings.

  ##Or it may relate to an institution that appears to have demonstrated repeated failings over a number of years.## "

  "This could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance here in the UK to help publically call the Watchtower to the stand, to make them account for their failure to protect children..

  Will we let it pass, or will we act?..(or at least encourage and inform those who may be able to act?) "

  www.csa-inquiry.independent.gov.uk/submit-information