“Institutions must agree to join the National Redress Scheme so they can provide redress to people who experienced child sexual abuse in relation to their institution.” – Australian Government On numerous occasions during those public hearings, and the follow up public hearing on 10 March 2017, it was presented to the Jehovah’s Witnesses organisation to join a redress scheme. This July 2020 will mark the five-year anniversary of the commencement of public hearings in the Jehovah’s Witnesses institution undertaken by the Child Abuse Royal Commission. Related Say Sorry article: Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Child Abuse Royal CommissionĭOWNLOAD: Case Study 29 – Official Findings Report into Jehovah’s Witnesses.pdf This public hearing became known as Case Study 29: The response of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia Ltd to allegations of child sexual abuse. On 30 June 2015 the Child Abuse Royal Commission announced a public hearing into Jehovah’s Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia Ltd. Our concern was in relation to the covering up of and the prevalence of child sexual abuse within the Jehovah’s Witnesses institution. One of the very first submissions and pieces of correspondence officially received by the Child Abuse Royal Commission was from members of Say Sorry. Our involvement with the Royal Commission commenced shortly after then Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced, on 12 November 2012, that she would recommend to the Governor-General that a Royal Commission be appointed to inquire into institutional responses to child abuse. The Final Report was, for good reason relatively critical of religious institutions, including the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The report was the culmination of a five-year inquiry into institutional responses to child sexual abuse and related matters. On 15 December 2017, the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse presented its Final Report to the Governor-General. Anne Ruston, Minister for Families and Social Services (screenshot Channel 10 The Project) > Jehovah’s Witnesses put on notice by Australian Government Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Senator the Hon. The Jehovah’s Witnesses institution is the only national institution in Australia that has refused to join the National Redress Scheme which was set up to pay compensation to victims of institutional child sexual abuse.
The Say Sorry submission also makes a number of general recommendations for all institutions that may not join the Scheme, and some tailored recommendations towards redress for child sexual abuse victims from within the Jehovah’s Witnesses institution.
Our most recent submission to the Australian Government requested that the government hold the Jehovah’s Witnesses institution to account for refusing to join the National Redress Scheme, for failing to comply with mandatory child protection laws, and for having the most shocking member statistics of child sexual abuse for any institution in Australia. The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Jehovah’s Witnesses institution “are essentially abuse deniers” and as such need to be held to account by all levels of Government. Our ongoing concern during this period has been that the leaders of the Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to accept the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, refuse to meet with victim groups, refuse to comply with mandatory child protection laws, refuse to join the National Redress Scheme, and refuse to say sorry.
UPDATE: Shortly after the publishing of this article, and prior to the deadline of 30 June 2020 for joining the National Redress Scheme, the Jehovah’s Witnesses institution informed the Australian Government that they will not be joining the Scheme.įor the last few years Say Sorry has regularly given testimony, evidence, and made submissions to the Australian Government in relation to what we anticipated would be the refusal of the Jehovah’s Witnesses institution to join the National Redress Scheme. Say Sorry’s submission to the Australian Government
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