The Independent Inquiry into Child Abuse has said that it will consider calls for a Jehovah’s Witness specific investigation following concerns about child abuse in the organisation.
In a statement provided to the Guardian, a spokesperson said: “The inquiry has received correspondence from the public and MPs raising their concerns about child sexual abuse within Jehovah’s Witnesses organisations. At present the inquiry is delivering its existing programme and is not currently launching any new investigations. However, as our work progresses, we will consider calls for a Jehovah’s Witnesses specific investigation carefully.”
The Charity Commission already has an investigation ongoing into the Jehovah’s Witnesses charity, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain. The inquiry is examining the child safeguarding policy and procedures further.
In 2017, a Jehovah’s Witness congregation in Manchester was criticised by the Charity Commission over its handling of allegations of child sex abuse by a senior member.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses said they “abhor child abuse, and view it as a heinous crime and sin. The safety of our children is of the utmost importance.”
They added: “Whether the victim or parents decide to report the matter is not contingent on the number of witnesses to the offence or whether a confession has been made. Congregation elders do not shield abusers from the authorities or from the consequences of their actions.“
Share your experiences
We want to investigate sexual abuse and other forms of abuse in the Jehovah’s Witnesses UK. You can share your stories with us via the form below and we will use it in our reporting.
We encourage anyone submitting a response to also contact the Charity Commission and The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. For criminal cases, please contact the police.
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A journalist may contact you to discuss your contributions further, and we may include some of your stories in our reporting.
