Royal commission gathering evidence relating to Gloriavale

NEW ZEALAND
Stuff.com.nz

August 26, 2020

By Sam Sherwood

The Gloriavale Christian Community, on the South Island’s West Coast, deals with issues internally.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care is looking into Gloriavale, with an investigation into the community possible.

It comes amid revelations Gloriavale leaders forced a 13-year-old girl to sit in a room with a man who allegedly groomed her, because their versions of events did not match up.

Stuff earlier revealed the community’s sexual assault policy gave offenders “second and third chances” to stop offending – along with more rounds of forgiveness and repentance meetings if they failed to stop – before leaders would consider kicking them out of the community.

On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, established in 2018, confirmed it had Gloriavale on its radar.

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