ARC—What's Next?

Saename

So as we know, the WT changed very little with regards to how they respond to child sexual abuse allegations. They basically ignored the Australian Royal Commission's report on how they could improve their policies. So what's next? Is that it now? The Watchtower is left alone in Australia to do as they please, or will there be some kind of follow-up? I really don't know how these things work in Australia, so I'd appreciate some information.

Anders Andersen

The goals of the ARC is to provide the government with information and recommendations. The government can use all that to create or alter laws regarding mandatory reporting by institutions of abuse they know about, a joint redress scheme, etc. Of course this will take time....likely some years.

In the mean time, quite some JW abuse cases were handed to the police to investigate. These cases are likely to be followed up on.

But all of this takes time. Too much time for our taste of course....

smiddy3

If I remember correctly the final recommendations by the ARC are to handed down by the end of this year .

Just how much of these recommendations will be adopted by the Government remains to be seen.

Remember the ARC has no power of it`s own to enforce any of it`s recommendations it can only advise the Government to do so.

Just how far the Government is willing to go down this road remains to be seen (repeated for emphasis)

As AA says some JW cases have been forwarded to the authorities to investigate ,however it wasn`t only JW`s that the ARC dealt with their were so many other institutions that were involved .

And compared to some of these other institutions the JW religion is small by comparison .

Whether they take a back seat in this ,is anybody`s guess.

As an example the R.C. Church and Cardinal George Pell the Australian in the Vatican is getting all of the attention with allegations against him and his committal hearing doesn`t come up until about March next year.

{ The R.C.Church is far more of an institution in Australian culture over the Centuries than what JW`s ever were just by sheer numbers.} and more importantly by their influence in politics and Social Justice.

And their humanitarian aids ,hospitals ,Aged Care ,Homeless ,Education ,and the disadvantaged . etc.

None of which JW`s /WT have ever done .

So I wouldn`t hold my breath about anything concrete being done about JW`s anytime soon.

Again as AA says this could drag on for years through the courts lawyers are masters at this game.

Our best bet is to keep these allegations of Child sexual abuse in the religion in the media on social media , and wherever we can and highlight it where we can.

steve2

Some of the worst aspects of their policy on responding to allegations of child sexual abuse have been modified or changed.

Victims are no longer required to confront their abuser, victims can elect to have support people present when they meet with elddrs,, parents are asked to accompany their child as appropriate if elders are to meet with the child (this excludes a parent if they are an alleged abuser).

In Australia, .I understand elders inform alleged victims and/or their custodial parent(s) of their right to report the allegations to the police.

Of course, the horrendous two witness rule remains - although the elders will consider 2 separate allegations involving the same alleged abuser as meeting criteria for that archaic rule.

cobweb

Its had an impact on them enforcing the working with children act certificates that ministerial servants and elders must get. In Victoria at least, they will be getting fined if they don't get one.

See:

http://jwsurvey.org/child-abuse-2/news-bulletin-australia-amends-working-children-act-jehovahs-witnesses-forced-comply-face-severe-penalties

I think it will be interesting to see when kingdom halls around Australia suddenly start announcing elder so and so has to step down.

berrygerry