MPs demand action over Jehovah’s Witness abuse allegations March 26, 2018

by Not_Culty 13 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Not_Culty

  The Guardian (UK), Monday, March 26, 2018

  MPs are demanding government action after more than 100 people contacted the Guardian with allegations of child sexual abuse and other mistreatment in Jehovah’s Witness communities in the UK.

  “I am extremely concerned, but not surprised, by the allegations of child abuse within the Jehovah’s Witness movement. Whenever there is a closed society with an inherent power imbalance, the potential for abuse is there,” said the Labour MP Sarah Champion.

  She said she would be raising the issue in parliament and demanding that the government take actionto make sure all children were safe.

  Alex Chalk, the Conservative MP for Cheltenham, said he planned to raise the issue in parliament, saying it was not just an historical issue but an ongoing child safety concern.

  “My instinctive thoughts are that the sheer numbers and seriousness of the allegations coming forward is concerning ... if even half the allegations coming to light are true then it’s clear that an entrenched culture of cover-up and flawed in-house investigations continues to this day,” Chalk said.

  Champion said she was concerned that victims had to report their abuse to elders, without independent scrutiny.

  She also expressed concern that abuse claims can only be taken before a committee for investigation if there were two witnesses to it. “Abuse happens in the shadows, so to ask for a second witness is ludicrous and effectively prevents reporting,” Champion said.

  READ FULL ARTICLE:
  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/26/mps-demand-action-over-jehovahs-witness-abuse-allegations
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  notsurewheretogo

  Yeah...in the UK it certainly is starting to ramp up...about time!
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  The Fall Guy

  Excellent news!

  After the WTBTS failed attempts in courts to block the Charities Commission's scrutiny of them, it's the perfect time for the C.C. to revoke the org's charity status - based on its failure to meet the standards and behaviour expected of a charity. Let the "persecution" begin!
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  Anders Andersen

  Excellent!

  Tomorrow evening the Dutch parliament will discuss if the current WT smoke and mirror show is good enough to address the abuse issue.

  My guess is MPs will demand the minister of justice to ramp up his efforts even more...
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  LoveUniHateExams

  Well done The Guardian & MPs.

  I often have a good laugh at The Guardian's expense but it is bang on the money here ...
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  AdrianIsMagic

  And my mother and other witnesses will still think it’s Satan trying to fuck em up and trick the public.
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  Half banana

  These are the right words coming from the British government members describing the behaviour of the leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses:

  “ Whenever there is a closed society with an inherent power imbalance, the potential for abuse is there,” said the Labour MP Sarah Champion.”

  She also declared, “.... to ask for a second witness is ludicrous (in sex abuse cases) and effectively prevents reporting.”

  And according to MP Alex Chalk “...... an entrenched culture of cover-up and flawed in-house investigations continues to this day”

  It is the governing body of JWs who are responsible for demanding thoughtless Biblical injunctions which protect the abusers and then they make matters worse by not giving any serious help or protection for the abused.

  JWs literature always talks about love-- but in practice it is a very uncaring religion.
  
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  Splash

  The WT have used their financial muscle and free lawyers to bully individuals into submission for years.

  Let's see how they deal with governments holding them to account.
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  jwleaks

  Splash - The WT have used their financial muscle and free lawyers to bully individuals into submission for years.
  Let's see how they deal with governments holding them to account.

  It didn't go too well for the JWs and WT when the Australian government held them to account during the ARC.
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  CallmeAl

  Hi All, first time here. Been out many years. Jwleaks, did anything actually come of the ARC proceedings? We all long for something but nothing seems to happen.