The difference between Jackson attempting to appear accommodating and willing to think through the issues and seek resolutions and the submission they've put in is very striking.
Thought it may be of use to put what they wish the findings to say in one consolidated block. I'm taking the findings from 1 to 3 and then 39 onwards as being 'general'. It's horrifying how far away they are from accepting what a commissioner has already advised them should be happening.
F.3 The Jehovah’s Witness organisation may receive approximately three or four
calls a month about child sexual abuse. No evidence was presented to
determine if these reports involved non-Witness perpetrators, occurred before
the wrongdoer’s association with Jehovah’s Witnesses, if the report was
historical in nature, or if it was in fact pertaining to actual child sexual abuse.
F.39 The Australia Branch has authority to produce documents, seminars, letters to
elders and letters to publishers in matters relating to its local jurisdiction as
long as such do not express any view or perspective contrary to the Bible.
F.40 The Australia Branch has authority to produce documents, seminars, letters to
elders and letters to publishers in matters relating to its local jurisdiction as
long as such do not express any view or perspective contrary to the Bible.
F.41`Jehovah’s Witnesses have not and do not presently, require the survivor of a
sexual assault to make his/her allegation in the presence of the person whom
he or she accuses of having assaulted him or her, unless the survivor wishes
to do so; and Jehovah’s Witnesses have acknowledged the need for this
position to be clearly documented
F.42 In the case of any alleged serious sin, including child abuse, judicial
committees are formed on the basis of the Scriptural standard of evidence of
either a confession or substantiation by two or more witnesses. – Proverbs
28:13; Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy
5:19
Based on the testimony of the two survivor witnesses: (i) Although BCB did
not feel supported overall, her testimony was that [an elder involved in
Scriptually caring for her accusation] was “very kind and supportive. He told
me that what has happened was not my fault and that I shouldn’t blame
myself”; and (ii) Although BCG felt unsupported when her allegations of child
sexual abuse against her father, BCH, were not Scripturally established at the
time of the first congregation judicial hearing, it should be noted that BCH was
found guilty of the sexual abuse of his daughter by the congregation appeal
committee within the following two weeks
F.45 Jehovah’s Witnesses should continue to make clear their long-standing policy
that, where desired, a victim may provide evidence remotely or by way of a
written statement to elders investigating and to those subsequently handling
an allegation of child abuse.
F.58 Jehovah’s Witnesses respect the right of a survivor or victim of abuse (or their
parent or guardian) to decide for him or herself whether or not to report the
abuse to the authorities.
F.60 The Scripturally-based beliefs and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses require
that they obey the laws pertaining to child abuse. In jurisdictions that require it,
they obey laws requiring the reporting of such allegations to the authorities.
Elders of Jehovah’s Witnesses will obey any newly enacted laws requiring
ministers of religion to report allegations of child abuse.
F.64 There may be a risk of contamination of a survivor’s evidence as a result of
the number of times and circumstances in which a survivor is required to divulge the detail of her complaint before her abuse is, if ever, reported to the
authorities.
F.69 A Jehovah’s Witness who no longer wants to be subject to the organisation’s
rules and discipline may simply stop associating with the congregation without
formally disassociating from the faith.
F.71 The opinions expressed by Dr Applewhite in paragraphs 36, 45 and 46 of her
report are accepted.
F.72 Dr Applewhite’s report contains a small number of inconsequential factual
errors with regard to her documenting of the relevant practices and
procedures of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
F.73 Dr Applewhite’s report is therefore accepted.
McClellan's words to their counsel on day 152 are worth contrasting with what the JWs think the commission should report.
According to the dubs, there aren't any problems to accept beyond making sure they state more clearly survivors don't *have* to confront their abusers.
