Posts by jwleaks

25

AUSTRALIA | Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower Society Appear Before Child Abuse Inquiry | Thursday 11 April, 2013

by jwleaks in

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.

jwleaks

SALVATION ARMY AND JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES FACE QUESTIONING AT CHILD ABUSE INQUIRY

Salvation Army forced to defend handling of child sex complaints

by Barney Zwartz | The Age newspaper | Thursday 11 April 2012

The Salvation Army has had 473 complaints about abuse in its Victorian children's homes, has spent nearly $20 million so far settling them and could give no explanation of how predators got away with it for so long - but it denied there had been a culture of abuse.

The Salvation Army had almost no records of children in the homes but had not tried to hide, shred or dispose of them, Captain Malcolm Roberts told the Victorian inquiry into how the church handled child sexual abuse...

The committee also grilled Jehovah's Witnesses Terrence O'Brien and Rachel van Witsen about when the church might refer child sexual abuse to police.

Mr O'Brien, the director of the society, said if reporting was made mandatory the church would comply.

He said if abuse was reported to elders, they had to inform the church's legal section before anything else. It was the victim or family's choice whether to go to police.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/salvation-army-forced-to-defend-handling-of-child-sex-complaints-20130411-2hnf6.html

25

AUSTRALIA | Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower Society Appear Before Child Abuse Inquiry | Thursday 11 April, 2013

by jwleaks in

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.

jwleaks

25

AUSTRALIA | Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower Society Appear Before Child Abuse Inquiry | Thursday 11 April, 2013

by jwleaks in

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.

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."

45

Someone in here is a mole

by focariedu21 in

jw
friends

hy guys the other day my wife had a discussion with her jws brother and he told her that he received all posted material from this site posted by myself and was disgusted with the information.

now that's all fine by me but what i am pissed about is that some one in here from sydney australia is a mole and pretends to be an ex jws while all the while exposing each and every one he knows as in my case.

you are one big coward and one who hides behind a skirt a yellow and a chicken shit whom doesn't have the balls to face me in person because you obviously know who i am.

jwleaks

All the letters you write to your local BOE are sent on to Bethel Australia. Big Brother is watching.

"Let's be very clear on this. We have by no means disregarded or rejected your letter, on the contrary we have given you the opportunity to meet and discuss these matters with us. You have made it very clear you do not want to meet."

If you are having problems with the wolves get in contact with JW Survivors...

www.jwsurvivors.org

JW LEAKS

56

If you started an organisation (related to exposing the Watchtower, helping Jw's who are disfellowshipped, or any other worthy cause).. What would it be called and what would you aim to achieve?

by The Quiet One in

jw
friends

...?.

jwleaks

JW SURVIVORS

www.jwsurvivors.org

535

AAWA is here!! (The Association of Anti-Watchtower Activists)

by cedars in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcic4g5tulw.

http://www.jwactivists.org.

facebook the association of anti-watchtower activists.

jwleaks

www.jwleaks.org

20

Judicial committee questions

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

when the elders invite someone to a judicial committee does the person under scrutiny have the right to ask beforehand what evidence will be adduced against him and what witnesses will be called?

in other words is there pre-trial disclosure within the watchtower's quasi legal process?

.

jwleaks

"Shepherd the Flock of God" - elders manual download via JW LEAKS ...

www.jwleaks.org/boe-letters

7

$2 Million Property Sold by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia | March 26, 2013

by jwleaks in

no stairs but two-storey darjeeling in bowral sells for $2 million.

by jonathan chancellor .

tuesday, 26 march 2013. .

jwleaks

No stairs but two-storey Darjeeling in Bowral sells for $2 million

By Jonathan Chancellor

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

http://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/no-stairs-but-two-storey-darjeeling-in-bowral-sells-for-$2-million/2013032558664

Darjeeling, an historic 1880s stone NSW Southern Highlands homestead, has been sold for $2 million to Phil Purnell and his wife, Stephanie.

It come with views to the north towards Mittagong and to the south over Retford Park, Burrawang and Moss Vale.

The stone homestead has two bedrooms downstairs and room for another two bedrooms upstairs but it's currently without a staircase.

The 56-hectare holding had been listed through Philip Barron at LJ Hooker Bowral.

It was sold by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia, the legal organization in use by Jehovah's Witnesses, who'd been willed it in 2004 by the late Jessie Crichton-Smith.

When auctioned in 1963 it had recently had 2000 pounds spent on improvements.

It comes with mixture of pasture, woodland and native forest, plus four dams and two creeks.

For much of its history, it has been owned by the Smith family who feature on the Old South Road website undertaken by Helen Erskine for her local genealogy club.

http://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/no-stairs-but-two-storey-darjeeling-in-bowral-sells-for-$2-million/2013032558664

JW LEAKS

2

Interesting Article from Australia Community Blog

by LisaRose in

jw
friends

http://ukiahcommunityblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/slamming-the-door-on-jehovah-witness-cult-et-al/.

this is a story about a young woman who left the jws after being molested as a child..

jwleaks

LINK:

http://ukiahcommunityblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/slamming-the-door-on-jehovah-witness-cult-et-al/

3

Australian Royal Commision in child sexual abuse - 1st sitting Sydney April 3

by l p in

jw
friends

http://www.facebook.com/#!/royalcommissionchildabuse/posts/228501367296466.

.

lp.

jwleaks

First Public Sitting

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Commission) will hold its first sitting at 10.00 am on Wednesday 3 April 2013 at the County Court of Victoria, 250 William Street, Melbourne.

All Commissioners will be present. The Chair, Justice McClellan AM, will provide information on the work of the Royal Commission including the future conduct of public and private hearings. Senior Counsel assisting will also deliver an opening statement. There will be no evidence taken at this first sitting and there will be no appearances for the purpose of seeking leave to appear.

The sitting will be streamed live to the public via webcast on the Commission's website at www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au

__________

JW Survivors is a victim advocacy group for survivors of the Church of Jehovah's Witnesses within Australia.

JW Survivors is a volunteer not-for-profit community based victim advocacy group for survivors of the Church of Jehovah's Witnesses within Australia.

November 26, 2012

JW Survivors lodged today a submission, written and prepared by Steven Unthank, in reply to the Australian government's request for stakeholder consultation for the establishing of the "Terms of Reference" for the Child Abuse Royal Commission.

Among the 9 recommendations made to the Royal Commission by JW Survivors was that "the Royal Commission investigate religious and other organisations in relation to their response to working with children laws as legislated in various jurisdictions across Australia." The submission explained that "working with children laws and child safety legislation are the frontline of physical and sexual protection for children within the community", and that "a failure, or refusal to comply with working with children laws, by an organisation, religious or otherwise, may be an indicator of the systemic failure of such an organisation to view the physical and sexual safety of children, with whom they work with, as a priority." The submission also cited the Church of Jehovah's Witnesses as an example of one religious organisation engaging in the "wholesale" criminal breaching of working with children laws.

On 12 November 2012, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that she will be recommending to the Governor-General the establishment of a Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse in Australia. Following this, the government requested the input of stakeholder organisations in making recommendations for the 'Terms of Reference' for the Child Abuse Royal Commission. JW Survivors was one of those organisations who made a submission.

A copy of JW Survivors' submission for the 'Terms of Reference' can be downloaded from their web site.

www.jwsurvivors.org