Will just post the general findings by counsel for the commission (Angus Stewart) - case specific ones are prior to them. In short, absolutely damning.
Not been through every submission myself yet. Available for download here: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/case-study/636f01a5-50db-4b59-a35e-a24ae07fb0ad/case-study-29,-july-2015,-sydney.aspx
Available findings on the authority of the Governing Body
F39 Mr Spinks’ evidence that the Australia Branch has full authority to produce documents,
seminars, letters to elders and letters to publishers without the approval or agreement of the
Governing Body is rejected.
F40 The Governing Body retains authority in respect of all publications in the name of the
Jehovah’s Witness organisation and any view or perspective contrary to that of the
Governing Body is not tolerated.
Available findings on the investigation process
F41 There are no circumstances in which the survivor of a sexual assault should have to make her
allegation in the presence of the person whom she accuses of having assaulted her, and,
contrary to the present position, the documents, manuals and instructions produced by the
Jehovah’s Witness organisation should make this clear.
F42 The requirement that two or more eyewitnesses to the same incident are required in the
absence of a confession from the accused, the testimony of two or three witnessesto separate
incidents of the same kind of wrongdoing, or strong circumstantial evidence testified to by at
least two witnesses (i.e. the two witness rule):
a) means that in respect of child sexual abuse which almost invariably occurs in private, very
often no finding of guilt will be made in respect of a guilty accused
b) causes victims of child sexual abuse to feel unheard and unsupported when it results in
allegations of child sexual abuse not being upheld
c) is a danger to children in the Jehovah’s Witness organisation because its consequence is
that very often nothing is done about an abuser in the organisation
d) does not seem to be applied by the Jehovah’s Witness organisation in the case of an
accusation of adultery, which suggests that adultery is taken more seriously by the
organisation than child sexual abuse, and
e) needs to be revisited by the Jehovah’s Witness organisation with a view to abandoning it
or at least reformulating it to ensure that safe decisions as to someone being guilty of
child sexual abuse can be made more easily.
F43 The requirement that only elders (i.e. men) can participate in the making of decisions in the
investigation process on whether or not someone has committed child sexual abuse:
a) is a fundamental flaw in that process which weakens the decisions by excluding women,
and
b) needs to be revisited by the Jehovah’s Witness organisation to ensure a meaningful role
for women.