AUSTRALIA | Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower Society Appear Before Child Abuse Inquiry

jwleaks

Jehovah's Witnesses say it is not their responsibility to report child sex abuse to police unless mandatory reporting legislation is in place.

A Victorian inquiry on Thursday heard that when a Jehovah's Witness leader hears allegations of abuse they are directed immediately to contact the society's legal department to check their obligations under state law.

Jehovah's Witness legal counsel Rachel van Witsen said elders were not expected to know their legal obligations.

"This is done to ensure elders fully comply with any legal requirements that may be applicable in the state in which they reside," she said.

"In Victoria if there was mandatory reporting the immediate advice would be to report that immediately."

The society's director Terrence O'Brien said the decision to take the allegations to police lay with the victim.

"Without mandatory reporting we don't feel that as ministers of religion that's our obligation to do that," Mr O'Brien said.

However, the organisation would encourage the victim to report it and would co-operate fully with police, he said.

Ms van Witsen said elders would make an exception if they felt the child was threatened.

"We would report that to appropriate authorities," she told the inquiry.

"We're about stopping child abuse."

Two ministers have been removed from the society for child sex abuse in 40 years of records, the parliamentary inquiry heard.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/04/11/20/59/jehovah-s-witnesses-stay-in-line-on-abuse

Link to Child Abuse Inquiry web site: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/fcdc/article/1786

Documents, Body of Elders letters, internal child abuse handling procedures, and the Shepherd the Flock of God elders textbook were kindly provided to the Child Abuse Inquiry via JW Leaks under "parliamentary privilege". An objection to this, and the online publishing of these documents, was made by Legal Counsel for Jehovah's Witnesses during the Inquiry.

JW LEAKS

"Subverting the wicked ones to their calamity."

Dismissing servant

"However, the organisation would encourage the victim to report it "

Nope....this is a blatant lie. I hope he will be confronted with this.

kjg132

We don't feel as ministers that it is our responsibility but if we "felt" the child was threatened we would of course report it?

ANYTIME a child comes forward with allegations of sexual abuse, or any kind of abuse, wouldn't you consider that child threatened?

I would

MMXIV

"However, the organisation would encourage the victim to report it "

the victims are normerly children, potentially very young children unable to report it.

The good samaritan upon seeing the victim proceeded to contact the legal department before crossing the road and informing the victim they should report the crime.

mmxiv

punkofnice

"We're about stopping child abuse."

Nauseating lies!

serenitynow!

The crap they are quoted as saying is so disgusting! If a child has been abused of course they are threatened! Sick!

ABibleStudent

Congradulations JW Leakss for supplying d ocuments, Body of Elders letters, internal child abuse handling procedures, and the Shepherd the Flock of God elders textbook to the Child Abuse Inquiry under "parliamentary privilege".

I also hope that you can provide information to dispute what the WTBTS's representatives said. I would love to see those representatives face criminal charges of perjury.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

flipper

JWLEAKS- Wow. Thanks for the links to these articles. Good god. You know it's getting bad when child abuse victims are having to save their allowances to the total of $ 69.70 just to get justice in courts and a hearing about their abuses by the WT Society representatives. WT Society leaders need to burn in hell in my opinion. Or be totally dissolved as an organization

TheOldHippie

Good statements by the WT representatives.

besty