UNITED KINGDOM
Hartlepool Mail
MARK PAYNE
20 April 2017
A former Jehovah’s Witness says church leaders have failed to act on concerns over child safeguarding despite being highlighted by an international report.
Steve Rose, of Rift House, Hartlepool, was a member of the church until 2010 since when he has campaigned for change to policies he and other critics say make it difficult for allegations of child and other sex abuse to be uncovered or acted upon.
The Australian Royal Commission is looking into institutional child abuse in the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Commission has found children are not adequately protected from the risk of child sexual abuse in church and showed a serious lack of understanding of the issue.
It also said the organisation relies on “outdated policies and practices” including the 2,000 year-old two-witness rule, which says any sin must be witnessed by at least two people before action is taken.
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