Noble Berean

Are we ashamed when we hear or read about these types of news lines? Why? Are we perfect? Does this type of thing not occur inside our organization also? To shy away from it and not clean it from our midst is wrong to know that it is being taken care of by our judiciary inside the congregation and by Caesar,is refreshing. To any who thinks having this brought to their attention is weak. Paul brought things of this sort to the congregation's attention, and we are taught this was for the betterment of the person and the congregation. So why is it not the same today? Knowing this is happening or has happened and we are doing something about it! Amongst JW in the past and now. Until this system ends we will have such problems, we are sinful people. Nothing has changed!

There will likely be more prosecutions in the aftermath of the ARC, @Barbara Snook. This is a good thing. This former JW may have been targeting 'worldly' children since he left the Org. Other unreported molesters may still be active members of congregations. Former JW or current JW, what has been hidden is coming to light and, if convicted, the community should be that little bit safer.
Also, if you really don't like these kinds of news stories - and the thread title was sufficiently clear on what it was about - then choose not to read them! 

A former member of the Jehovah Witness congregation will appear in court next week after he was charged with sexually assaulting four boys.
The charges stem from ongoing investigations linked to the Royal Commission into institutional child sexual offences.
Police allege between 1993 to 2013, the 44-year-old man sexually assaulted four boys aged between 14 and 16 at the time of the offences.
READ MORE: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/former-wa-jehovah-witness-charged-with-alleged-historic-child-abuse-offences-20170512-gw37yd.html

Relative to some others, you are a saint, I admit. Sorry.

Why can't Mr. Jackson make the changes within the org himself instead of waiting on secular gov't make him do it?
Why wouldn't he/they do this for the protection of the children? 

How so? I've been very polite and respectful

Nice use of language.
"Jehovah examines the righteous one as well as the wicked one; He hates anyone who loves violence" (Psalm 11:5).

I understand that false allegations occur, but the well-being of a child trumps the psychological trauma of a false allegation. So, that really isn't an excuse not to report. Of course the police are not perfect, but they are more capable of doing a proper, thorough investigation than the elders. The police can obtain warrants to search property and uncover evidence, but the elders must rely on willing testimony. The elders are very limited in their investigation capabilities. In that way, the police can act as an aid to the elders. But it seems pretty clear that the organization wants to stay as far from the legal system as it possibly can.

There is no perfect justice system except Jehovah's justice system. At this stage, we have to make due with the imperfect systems we live under. Yes, there are miscarriages of justice in the legal system, but our organization's justice system isn't free from mistakes either. I'm asking you...why would you even want to take the chance of a sexual predator persisting in the congregation?

I understand that false allegations occur, but the well-being of a child trumps the psychological trauma of a false allegation. So, that really isn't an excuse not to report. Of course the police are not perfect, but they are more capable of doing a proper, thorough investigation than the elders. The police can obtain warrants to search property and uncover evidence, but the elders must rely on willing testimony. The elders are very limited in their investigation capabilities. In that way, the police can act as an aid to the elders. But it seems pretty clear that the organization wants to stay as far from the legal system as it possibly can.

Working with Children Check Policy
 
The Working with Children Check is a screening mechanism to prevent certain persons from engaging in child-related work.
2.1
This policy takes effect from 15 June 2013 following the implementation of the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 and the Child Protection (Working with Children) Regulation 2013.
This policy must be applied in conjunction with the Working with Children Check Procedures (15 June 2013).
2.3
This policy applies to people who are employed or engaged (or who are seeking to be employed or engaged) in child-related work in the NSW Department of Education, in any one of the following capacities:
as a paid employee; as a self-employed person or as a contractor or subcontractor; as a volunteer; as a person undertaking practical training as part of an educational or vocational course (other than as a student undertaking work experience); as a minister, priest, rabbi, mufti or other religious leader or spiritual officer of a religion or other member of a religious organisation. link: https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policies/working-with-children-check-policy
This would be good to implement, not only in some Australian states, but around the world. 
What Does This Mean for Jehovah’s Witnesses?
For Australian congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the process for appointing an Elder or Ministerial Servant is now a bit more complex than before. In the past, Witness males were recommended for their positions based strictly upon their “spiritual qualifications” – a subjective decision which allowed anyone to rise within the organization with little or no real knowledge of whether they have a criminal background, or if they are a sexual predator. Criminal background checks are non-existent, and the only question posed to a prospective Ministerial Servant or Elder moments before they are appointed is: “Have you ever been involved at any time in the past with child sexual molestation?” – [Elder’s Manual 2010, Chapter 3 Section 13] The answer to this question has always been based on the “honor system” – and you can be certain that a child molester would never answer such a question in the affirmative. 
During the 2015 Royal Commission investigation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Australia, counsel assisting the Royal Commission, Angus Stewart QC, queried Watchtower Service Department chief Rodney Spinks, who admitted that the Watchtower organization had been completely disinterested in cooperating with the “Working with Children Check.”
It seems that for the appointment of men in the JW Assembly, apart from the permission of the Holy Spirit, the elders, the provincial supervisor aka CO and the GB, is needed also a secular license for working with children. :)))
 

@JA_Laine This website is not intended to be uplifting or gratifying to anyone. This is just news and information sharing.
I personally like to stay up to date on the news from around the world and enjoy the details.
Thanks @Bible Speaks for sharing.

Do you work closely with children? In the States it's the standard that individuals who work with children are mandated reporters. That makes it a crime not to report an allegation. And child abuse allegations are perceived differently than adult rape cases. I haven't heard of mandated reporting for adult rape, so drawing that comparison isn't effective.
Sadly, children often times do not have an advocate at home in cases of abuse. That's why it's important to report. 

Well, let's report the lot then?

@Elisabeth Dolewka I can't wait for this day when our biggest worry will be what's for dinner!

Why are they not respecting the superior authorities? How does giving this namelist violate our beliefs?

Of course it means something. Where did I suggest otherwise? I know our WT literature makes it clear that sexual abuse is abhorrent. Those articles are referring to proactive ways to prevent abuse, but I'm referring to what procedures take place after an event has occurred. 

That's info about ways to keep safe, but I wanted to see information on how elders handle sexual abuse allegations in the congregation.

Please do. It would really be great if I could just go on JW.org and they had a section on their website about their policies on sexual abuse in the congregation. But it's all kept under wraps. 

Fair enough. Maybe elders didn't understand just how pervasive sex abuse was. But people know now that it's a threat. And yet there's an unwillingness to accept error or a need to change. 

Of course it means something. Where did I suggest otherwise? I know our WT literature makes it clear that sexual abuse is abhorrent. Those articles are referring to proactive ways to prevent abuse, but I'm referring to what procedures take place after an event has occurred. 

That's info about ways to keep safe, but I wanted to see information on how elders handle sexual abuse allegations in the congregation.

Please do. It would really be great if I could just go on JW.org and they had a section on their website about their policies on sexual abuse in the congregation. But it's all kept under wraps. 

How so? 

Fair enough. Maybe elders didn't understand just how pervasive sex abuse was. But people know now that it's a threat. And yet there's an unwillingness to accept error or a need to change.