Sexual Abuse: Jehovah's Witnesses banned from accessing Commonwealth fund

The religion of Jehovah's Witnesses A.K.A WatchTower Society has been banned from accessing Commonwealth fund for members after failure to participate in the Redress Scheme for victims of sexual abuse.

Anne Ruston

Australian Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Hon. Anne Ruston in a Press statement on Monday said that six Institutions have failed to sign up to the National Redress Scheme by the 30 June, 2020 deadline.

According to the statement, the Institutions are; Australian Air League, Boy's Briga NSW, Fairbridge Restored Limited, Lakes Entrance Pony Club, Jehovah's Witnesses and Kenja Communications.

The Minister said that these Institutions will now be ineligible to apply for any future commonwealth funding and the government is investigating options to revoke tax concessions such such as charitable status.

" It is completely unacceptable that these Institutions have failed to meet their moral obligation to join the National Redress Scheme, Minister Ruston said."

The Australian Jehovah's Witnesses branch remains the only religion refusing to apologise or offer compensation to victims despite humongous cases of child sexual abuse rocking the religion.

The government of Australia had set-up the National Redress Scheme to provide redress to people who experienced Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. The offer of redress can include; access to counselling, a redress payment and a direct personal response. Redress here means acknowledging harm done to victims.