ARC - Case Study 54 - All Exhibits have been released

by jwleaks 347 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  jwleaks

  All Exhibits for Case Study 54, Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower, have been released by the ARC.

  http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/exhibits/10908a67-70c5-4103-94cc-dac096fdb585/case-study-54,-march-2017,-sydney
  

  EXHIBIT LIST

  • Joint Statement of O'Brien and Spinks
  • Child Protection Guidelines for Branch Office Service Desk
  • Child Safeguarding Policy of Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia (draft version as presented to ARC)
  • Legal Guidelines on Reporting Obligations (State-by-State)
  • Correspondence between Watchtower and Governing Body
  • Summons to Produce
  • Watchtower body of elders letter
  • Watchtower response to ARC

  plus more.
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  smiddy

  I have bookmarked this page for future reference
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  Listener

  Thanks JW leaks. That's a lot of reading.
  
  I am wondering how much the Australian Safeguarding Policy differs from the UK Policy given that it took months to prepare.
  
  I've just started reading the statement presented by O'Brien and Spinks. In Para 15 they make the claim that they do not provide pastoral care. They are kidding aren't they? No wonder they wanted an interpretation of pastoral care during the hearing. They are so quick to distance themselves from any obligation they lose all sense of understanding. Once a youngster is baptized they come under the pastoral care of the Elders.
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  OrphanCrow

  Thanks, jwleaks.

  I have downloaded the exhibits and have been skimming through the Child Safeguarding Policy of Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia and I notice that the WTS has dropped the ball concerning child pornography.

  From page 3:

  Child pornography: Showing pornography to a minor is considered to be child sexual abuse. Although viewing child pornography is not considered to be child sexual abuse, it is still a serious violation of Jehovah’s standards. A person in-volved in viewing child pornography should be strongly counseled. Depending on the frequency and the extent of his viewing, he could be subject to congregation judicial action. In such cases, the Service Department may decide that branch-imposed restrictions are warranted.—See the April 10, 2012, letter to all bodies of elders

  Just because some JW kid hasn't been harmed/abused in the making of those pornographic images of children, doesn't mean that viewing child sex material doesn't qualify as child sex abuse. Some child, somewhere, was abused to make those images.

  Viewing child pornography is illegal. It is a crime. Why? Because children have been abused sexually to create those images.

  This policy manual fails to instruct the reader on the illegal nature of viewing child sex material. They fail to say that someone caught with child sex material (or viewing it) should be reported to the police.
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  smiddy

  What can we expect from an organisation that has leaders /persons in authoratative positions who set themselves up as the Governing Body of Jehovahs Witnesses who frown on higher education .?

  Of the present membership of the existing Governing body , what is each of these members standard of

  education ?

  Can anybody furnish these qualifications ? for each individual ? It should be interesting.
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  steve2

  You make an absolutely vital observation OrphanCrow: In most Western countries and beyond, viewing child pornography is a serious crime that can result in prison sentences if caught and brought to trial. Every person who views such pornography helps perpetuate the market producing this filth.

  JW organization's "policy" on this reeks of abysmal and likely wilful ignorance regarding the damage to child victims exploited and abused in the making, distribution and viewing of child pornography.

  JW organization exposes itself as fully incapable of drafting policies that prioritise the safety of children above all else. It clearly needs to be told by "worldly" authorities how children should be protected.
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  EdenOne

  OC, where did you take that quote from?

  Edit: Nevermind, I have found it

  Also...two "dislikes" to the OP? Wow!
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  zeb

  EXCELLENT WORK JW LEAKS!

  I have the lot on a CD.

  Orphan Crow. A simmering observation on child porn. Well done.
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  gerry

  I notice the ARC took out a summons for all communication about child abuse between Australia and GB since case 29.

  Also Australia begged GB for permission to give ARC the AUG 1 BOE letter before it gets released onto the internet,,, ha ha you naughty boys
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  Pubsinger

  Where is the quote on child pornography? I can't find that on page 3 of the Child Protection Policy.