Jehovah’s Witnesses in Australia annual child protection compliance reports for 2018 and 2019
The Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (CARC) recommended that, at a minimum, eleven institutions that were the subject of relevant Royal Commission hearings should provide annual progress reports by the end of 2018 and again in 2019. The National Office for Child Safety worked with these institutions to facilitate their public reporting in 2018 and 2019. Jehovah’s Witnesses were one of those eleven institutions.
Summary of 2019 report submitted by Jehovah’s Witnesses
762 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Australia
67,816 Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jehovah’s Witnesses claim they “are fully compliant with each of the recommendations” of the CARC.
Every elder and ministerial servant has a Working With Children clearance in those states where this is legislated.
Recommendation 16.28: Regarding the involvement of women: “we confirm that women can be and are fully involved in receiving and submitting evidence of child sexual abuse and in providing support to a victim. It is the Scriptural responsibility of congregation elders to determine whether the alleged perpetrator should remain one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
Recommendation 16.29: Regarding shunning: “we confirm that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not shun victims of child abuse but treat them with compassion, understanding and kindness.”
DOWNLOADS
Jehovah’s Witnesses Child Abuse Royal Commission Annual Progress Report – 2019 – pdf
Jehovah’s Witnesses Child Abuse Royal Commission Annual Report – 2018 – pdf
Image by Commonwealth of Australia. 2019. Used under CC BY 4.0 licence.
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