In spite of the Australian Royal Commission...

by joey jojo 7 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  joey jojo

  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-29/jehovahs-witnesses-not-reporting-all-child-sex-abuse-to-police-/103320582

  National news story in Australia today.

  The inquiry heard that since the 1950s, the Witnesses hid more than 1,000 cases of child sexual abuse.
  The faith group did not report one case to police over that time.
  The royal commission was announced in 2012 and the final report was delivered in 2017.
  In the wake of the institutional failings exposed by the commission, Western Australia’s mandatory reporting requirements were expanded to include religious ministers in 2021.
  It meant that they would have to report child sexual abuse to authorities.
  However, despite it being post royal commission, documents show how the religious group conducted its own internal investigation.
  The religious leaders did not report the matter to police.
• 

  was a new boy

  'A document seen by the ABC shows a summary of how the elders dealt with the abuse.

  
  

  It stated the “judicial committee determined there were grounds for mercy” as Joel “hates” what happened.

  
  

  '“Strong scriptural reproof was given and restrictions were put in place.”

  
  

  Those restrictions included not commenting at meetings and not praying on behalf of the congregation.'

  
  

  What percentage of those in the 'back room' are ever shown mercy, despite hating the sin?

  How did ABC get a hold of that document?

  Thought everything was confidential?
• 

  Biahi

  So, they claim that if the law requires the reporting of CSA, they will comply with the law. In practice, however, it is NOT reported. So, it is more important to hide pedos than to obey Caesars law.
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  resolute Bandicoot

  Ha ha ha... that one news item just undid 10 years worth of witnessing.

  RB
  
• 

  NotFormer

  resolute Bandicoot: "Ha ha ha... that one news item just undid 10 years worth of witnessing"

  The truth about how they actually conduct their affairs usually does! 🙄
• 

  markweatherill

  Imaginary scene:

  Prisoner 1: Hey mate, what are you in for?

  Prisoner 2: I've been imprisoned for my Bible-based scriptural beliefs.

  Prisoner 1: Oh no! Lads, we got another one of those JW nonces!
• 

  Vidiot

  From their POV, they can’t report to the authorities…

  …anywhere.

  If they did, the true depth and breadth of the problem would be exposed in a manner too difficult to simply dismiss, undermining the Org’s legitimacy in the eyes of the membership, and even worse, potentially placing their “charity” status at risk…

  …and if the rumours are true and the Org’s solvency is hanging by a thread, that’s a risk they don’t dare take.

  Yet, ironically, their refusal to fully acknowledge the problem and take appropriate steps to fix it properly threatens to undermine them just as effectively in the long(er) run.

  Screwed if they do, buggered if they don’t.
• 

  Listener

  The abusers lawyer stated

  "Noting that Kezia Whitton was and remain able to report the matter to the police, should she so wish. And that is what Mr Whitton expected at those times. But that did not happen until 2021. So certainly, he attended the church for that investigation with the expectation that the matter would go further, and it did not do so until 2021.”

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  The organisation will not report the abuser, even when they confess and neither do they require the abuser to confess to police as demonstration of their repentance. It is then left to the abused to report it which is not acceptable from a christian point of view.