http://abc.net.au/news/two-by-two-sect-survivors-waiting-for-compensation/103868134
Survivors of secretive Two by Two sect waiting to access National Redress Scheme
By Tobi Loftus
Laura McConnell-Conti (left) says she started experiencing groping and other abuses at the age of 12. (Supplied: Laura McConnell-Conti)
- In short: Survivors of the fundamentalist Christian sect known as the Two by Twos or The Truth say they are stuck in limbo waiting for the group to join a compensation scheme for victims.
- The sect says it intends to participate in the scheme and has signed an agreement.
- What’s next? The sect is holding what they call special meetings across several states this month and next where followers gather for bible study.
Survivors of a fundamentalist Christian sect at the centre of an international child sexual abuse investigation say they are stuck in limbo waiting for the group to sign up to a national compensation scheme for victims.
Warning: Readers are advised this article contains details that may be distressing to some readers.
The sect does not have an official name but is referred to by believers as the Truth or the Way, or by non-believers as the Two by Twos, or the Church with No Name.
Laura McConnell-Conti grew up in the sect in regional New South Wales and left in 1999 when she was 19.
For years she has been actively campaigning for the group to become a part of the federal government’s National Redress Scheme, set up in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
“I experienced grooming and abuse inside the group, and a lot of other abuses, violence, and family violence,” she said.
Laura McConnell-Conti (right) left what she calls a cult when she was 19. (Supplied: Laura McConnell-Conti)
Sexual assault support lines:
- 1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732
- Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491
- Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
- Victims of Crime Helpline: 1800 819 817
- Full Stop Australia: 1800 385 578
Believers follow a strict interpretation of the Bible and meet in people’s homes for Bible study, with the group’s ministers, known as workers, moving between different cities and countries where followers are based.
In Australia, a hotline set up for victims of sexual abuse has received reports from more than 100 victims, alleging abuse from about 150 perpetrators.
The sect is now under a global investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in the United States for historical cases of child sexual abuse.
The ABC can reveal the sect is also set to host special meetings in at least seven state schools across Queensland.
The meetings will be held outside school hours, but it has raised concerns among survivors about the possibility of having alleged perpetrators on school grounds.
Closure needed for victims
Ms McConnell-Conti and several other survivors to whom the ABC has spoken refer to the group as a cult because of what they say was emotional, spiritual, and physical control they experienced while a part of it.
She said she was 12 when she started to experience grooming and “inappropriate sexualised behaviour”.
Two of the perpetrators, who have since died, were ministers, known as workers.
“For me, it’s been very hard to get any kind of closure as I couldn’t take them to court,” she said.
“So, I made a submission to the [redress scheme about five years ago] as it was a way for me to get some kind of closure, to get an apology.
“For many, many years, I couldn’t get anyone in The Truth to acknowledge that I existed, that the things that had happened to me were real.”
Laura McConnell-Conti was the fifth generation of her family born into a secretive Christian sect. (Supplied: Laura McConnell-Conti)
As part of the National Redress Scheme, participating groups provide compensation, or redress, to victims.
“For me, it’s been a five-ish year journey to try to get [the Truth] to recognise and accept that they were a religion, that they are a formal church, and to get them to even talk to me, or even recognise abuse was happening in the group,” Ms McConnell-Conti said.
The sect, which has about 8,000 followers in Australia, had intended to join the National Redress Scheme under the name The Non-denominational Christians (The Truth).
This week, Ms McConnell-Conti received confirmation the sect’s application to join the scheme was progressing but with no timeframe on when it would be finalised.
The sect’s Australian leaders Malcolm Clapham, Graeme Dalton, Trevor Joll, Alan Mitchell, and Steve Thorpe said they commenced the process of applying to the scheme in September 2022.
“Our current status is we intend to participate and have signed an agreement,” they said.
“We have been assured this is being processed. However, a significant number of other organisations are also seeking participation, and the scheme’s application processing timeframes are outside our control.
“We have been advised that we are able to join as a partially participating institution and not been informed of any impediments to joining the scheme.”
The Department of Social Services, which oversees the scheme, would not comment specifically about Two by Two’s application, but a spokesperson said non-government institutions must meet several legislative requirements to join.
These include groups being able to demonstrate they can pay redress, provide a meaningful direct personal response, and have a structure that means they can enter into a legally binding agreement with the scheme.
Ms McConnell-Conti said she was concerned it was the sect’s ability to meet these requirements that was holding up the approvals process.
She said she was aware of at least four other survivors of the sect who had made applications to the redress scheme.
Meetings in schools
Over May and June, sect members are gathering across Queensland, Victoria, and other states for annual special meetings.
The sect will hold several of those meetings at state schools across Queensland.
The special meetings, where followers gather for bible study and lectures, have either taken place or will take place in schools and community halls in towns including Longreach, Chinchilla, Gatton, Rockhampton, Nambour, Mount Warren Park, and Toowoomba.
Meetings are due to take place in state school facilities including Longreach State School, Rockhampton State High School, and Nanango State High School.
Jillian Hishon runs the Brave Truth hotline. (ABC News: Tobi Loftus)
Jillian Hishon runs The Brave Truth hotline for survivors of sexual abuse in the sect.
She said she was concerned about the possibility of alleged perpetrators attending these meetings at state schools.
“In Queensland, we have perpetrators that I have reported to the ministers here in Queensland that haven’t been removed from the church,” Ms Hishon said.
“These are alleged perpetrators that have police reports logged on them.
“They’re not going to be there in school times, but [the Education Department is] allowing a group that is under current FBI investigation to attend their grounds. It is up to them, but it is not ideal.”
Multi-day conventions are held at rural properties like this one near Mackay. (Supplied)
A spokesperson for Queensland’s Department of Education said there was “no higher priority … than the safety and wellbeing of students”.
They said it was an “established and successful” practice for school facilities to be hired out outside of school hours “with appropriate controls in place”.
“A principal will consider applications for community use agreements made by organisations and individuals,” the spokesperson said.
The sect’s leaders said child safety was “paramount” at all special meetings including at public schools.
“We have conducted thorough risk assessments and put measures in place including vetting attendees, assigning specific workers to address any child safety issues, and encouraging parents to keep children in sight,” they said.
Believers meet annually at convention sites like this one to pray and learn about the sect’s beliefs. (Supplied)
Perpetrators at conventions
Alongside special meetings, the sect runs what it calls conventions.
These are longer multi-day events where followers stay in dormitories and are often held at rural properties across Australia owned by followers.
They have been attended by figures linked to historic child sexual abuse in the past, including Dean Bruer.
Mr Bruer was an overseer, or senior leader, of the sect in the US state of Oregon.
Widespread allegations of child sexual abuse committed by him came to light after his death in 2022 and led to the establishment of the group Advocates for The Truth in the US.
Documents seen by the ABC reveal Mr Bruer attended conventions as a guest in Toowoomba and the Fraser Coast, as well as sites in New South Wales in 2007, 2016, and 2017.
Dean Bruer was pictured with New South Wales-based workers for the Two by Twos during a 2017 visit to Australia. (Supplied)
Ms Hishon said Mr Bruer’s attendance at Australian events was “concerning”.
“I don’t have any reports on any abuse that Dean Bruer allegedly committed when he was in Australia,” she said.
“But we know there are other alleged paedophiles that have attended in Australia and New Zealand as well that have come from overseas and travelled around.”
The sect’s Australian leaders said they were “shocked and appalled” to learn of the allegations against Mr Bruer.
“No allegations have been made to the fellowship about Dean Bruer here in Australia, and we were unaware of any allegations against him internationally when he visited here in 2007 and 2016 for a period of up to 10 weeks on each occasion,” they said.
Convention attendees sleep together in dormitories. (Supplied)
They said they vetted convention attendees, including international visitors, had designated child-safe contacts, and had “clear procedures” for incidents now to ensure safety at conventions.
“We have specific safety measures for sleeping quarters, we allocate jobs with safety at the heart of our considerations, have clear signage, and closely manage attendee interactions,” they said.
“We have clearly communicated our zero-tolerance policy for harm against anyone in our fellowship.
“As part of our commitment to continual improvement, we have reviewed and improved our plans for this year, to learn from our experiences last year. We have involved key stakeholders in this process.”
The FBI has launched a webpage asking victims of abuse within the Two by Twos to come forward. (ABC News: Tobi Loftus)
The FBI launched its investigation into the sect earlier this year and Australian survivors, including Ms McConnell-Conti, have made submissions.
A spokesperson for the FBI told the ABC the bureau encouraged reporting from anyone who thought they might be a victim.
They said this information could be shared with their international partners.
“The FBI, in coordination with our Legal Attaché Offices around the world, routinely shares information and intelligence with our international law enforcement partners in an effort to identify and mitigate a variety of threats,” the spokesperson said.
“This international collaboration is always done with the consent of the host country and in cooperation with the Department of Justice and the US Department of State.”
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“We have clearly communicated our zero-tolerance policy for harm against anyone in our fellowship” The Overseers
This is why words mean nothing at this point. There ARE alleged perpetrators attending meeting still, that the workers ARE aware of.
It’s nice they give the ABC a run down, but where is the communication that was promised to everyone in the church? I believe last comms from the AG and Overseers was October last year.
Words, words, words.
It’s no wonder people have now resorted to writing to Special Meetings venues. Keep it up! Until there is real change, and proper support for victim-survivors, that’s what needs to happen.
And no money to pay for redress, so we’ll let that fall on the government? The taxpayer that is!
What about the bank accounts held in each state? The travel fund could be better used I’m sure. Rather than trips to India! And what about those massive upgrades at a NSW convention grounds for the 4 day convention once a year??
Yep, 100% all valid points. I’m squinting really hard and can see zero care for survivors.