Tag: child sexual abuse

25 October 2023

Dear NSW friends,

To ensure preparations and conventions are safe places for all there will be some changes implemented this year.

These are highlighted in the attached document.

Please submit your names through your elder with any additional requests you may have. For families who have already provided your elder with convention attendance details you may wish to provide more information, we are happy to receive any updates from you.

The coordinating workers for each convention are as follows – please let them know if you are attending a convention from another state or have any requests:

Should you wish to have further information, access to the Child Safe Policy, Workers Code of Conduct or any other information please let us know conv.feedback@gmail.com

We appreciate your patience and support as we work through these changes and look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming conventions.

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2023/2024 Australian and New Zealand Conventions

We are all looking forward to the privilege of convention this year. The consideration and respect we show to each other and to the owners of the convention grounds will add to our time together.

The focus of convention is the refreshing of our soul. At the same time, we would like to acknowledge that convention has been a challenging time for some in the fellowship, including those impacted by child sexual abuse or who have been harmed within our fellowship.

We want convention to be a safer place, and some changes are being introduced this year to enhance the safety of our convention environment.

Preparations and Conventions

• We appreciate those who help prepare for conventions and look forward to your help again this year.
• It is important you let either your elder or the worker coordinating convention know if you are coming for a meeting, a day or the whole convention. In addition, we would like you to confirm arrival and departure on the grounds and this process may look different for each convention. The process will be communicated on arrival.
• Any person with a history of, or an allegation of, harm to children is not to attend preparations or conventions.
• Attention is drawn to the potential hazards associated with convention preparations, and any child or young person attending preparations must be accompanied by an adult and supervised.
• Children are always welcome at conventions and their safety is the primary responsibility of parents or a designated responsible adult.
• Anyone wishing to bring guests from outside the fellowship (eg. evening mission meetings) is requested to check with the coordinating workers for that convention in advance. Guests on convention grounds should be always accompanied.
• We would encourage parents to educate school age and older children regarding appropriate behaviour by other people and where to seek help if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
• Children and young people are encouraged to be with a friend or sibling when not with their parents or responsible adult. Children and young people should check in with an adult regularly and remain with their friend or sibling.
• Every attempt will be made for job allocations to fit around parental commitments. For children under 12, we encourage one parent to be always available for child contact.
• Accommodation arrangements will be more flexible to allow families to make specific requests or bring their own accommodation. Family groupings are encouraged. The time children are left in tents alone should be minimised. It is requested that children not be left sleeping alone for extended periods, especially during meetings.

Anyone requiring additional support is encouraged to speak with the workers coordinating each convention or a trusted friend who can advocate on their behalf. If anyone has concerns about attending conventions this year, please reach out to your elder or one of the workers so we can assist in making alternate arrangements.

Feedback

Considerable input has been received on improving the safety of our children and young people at conventions. We welcome further feedback, either via suggestion boxes at convention or via email to conv.feedback@gmail.com

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2023/24 Parents Information Sheet

We are eagerly looking forward to convention, and we understand that much of the information we’re sharing may already be familiar to you. The purpose of this communication is to provide helpful suggestions that will assist all parents in maintaining the care and supervision of children and young people while still enjoying the spiritual benefits of the convention.

We acknowledge that written clarifications like these can sometimes be a bit daunting. However, our primary goal is to address any concerns you may have regarding attending the convention.

We are pleased to have visiting workers at this year’s conventions. Our visiting workers have been confirmed by their home country as having no current allegations or concerns related to child sexual abuse or misconduct. They will undergo Ministry Safe training and adhere to the Workers’ Code of Conduct, just as our local workers do.

Visiting workers will be accommodated with friends or families who do not have children under the age of 18, unless a specific family makes a request and provides their consent to accommodate them. This practice also extends to visiting workers travelling by car within Australia or New Zealand.

This year marks the introduction of convention attendees designated as Child Safe Contacts to address any child safety concerns. For each convention, some people with “Working with Children Checks” and/or “Police Checks” and child safety training will be identified. Those who work in childcare, healthcare settings, police, social work or schools may already have valid certification. If you possess these checks, please inform your elder when submitting names for the convention. The contact details for Child Safe Contacts, workers coordinating convention, local emergency information, and reporting lines will be prominently displayed.

In case of any concerns related to child safety, we encourage you to report them directly to one of the designated Child Safe Contact individuals, the workers coordinating for the convention, or the appropriate emergency authorities.

Any person under the age of 18 planning to attend the convention must be accompanied by a parent or an adult designated as the responsible contact person for that child. This parent or adult will always have primary responsibility for the well-being of the child or young person during the convention.

Accommodations in tents with children will include only immediate family members unless specifically requested by parents/guardians. Children are encouraged to stay out of empty tents or other empty buildings on the convention ground.

In the case of dormitories, it is encouraged that parents or designated responsible adults be assigned to the same dormitory area as the child or children under their care.

For visits to shower and toilet facilities, children should be accompanied by a parent, sibling, or a responsible adult.

Parents, please take the time to acquaint your children with the convention grounds. Safe areas, restricted zones, play areas, common spaces for socialising, walking paths, and well-lit evening socialising areas for young people will all be clearly designated. It is also advisable to establish an agreed meeting point.

We trust that these measures will contribute to a safe and enjoyable convention experience for all participants. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated, and we eagerly anticipate seeing you at the convention.

Great Falls, MT 59403
October 20, 2023

Dear Friends in Montana & Wyoming,

Thank you for being patient with my lapses in communicating over the last several months as we are learning how to navigate important changes and safety measures with CSA and SA. We agree it is imperative that CSA and SA be dealt with directly and legally while focusing on the victim. We are very thankful for each one of you and we appreciate your patience and your support in many ways. We are truly mindful of those who are a victim of any form of abuse and every one of you that has suffered pain and loss. The ministry seeks to help and support each and every soul, and we apologize for any way that we have failed victims in the past.

It is necessary to make it absolutely clear that Robert Corfield has no part in the ministry. Anything that he has done in the past to help us workers is being taken over by others. Our hearts go out to his known victim. We also want to apologize for the very inappropriate comments that were made in a recent visit regarding Dean Bruer. We recognize how these comments continue to harm people who have already been directly and indirectly victimized.

Our staff’s desire is to be approachable and communicate openly, while using discretion where it is needed as we work in a quiet, confidential way with victims. We intend to hold each other accountable while in this growth and learning space, by open communication with the staff and you folks.

Working together is very important and essential (Ephesians 4:3 – unity of God’s Spirit). As individuals – walking in His Spirit – we make up the Fellowship, which is His Body. Each one of us either adds or diminishes to His Spirit in every meeting. This is a great privilege and also a great responsibility. We are aware that God in His mercy is calling our attention to our need to take our salvation seriously.

We are thankful that we have the Bible as our map, Jesus as the Way, and the Spirit as our guide as we travel through life together.

As the Convention season begins to wind down – and Special Meetings begin – we are looking forward to and anticipating some very helpful days ahead.

Please feel free to communicate your concerns with me or any of our staff, or with those that you feel closer to. We do wish to hear your concerns and feelings. We will also include an updated list for trauma resources.

Every good wish in Christ,
Scott R.

There is a current and ongoing effort to take ex worker Ira Hobbs to court to convict him of his 2019 rape of a sister worker. He used a date rape drug, while his ex-sister-worker wife was away from their house. The raped sister worker was staying in the home for special meeting rounds. The hospital found the date rape drug in her blood test. They repaired the life-threatening damage that Ira did to her from the rape. It is known by many that Ira has raped and had sex with sister workers and wives for the past 60 years, as well as documented horrible molestation of children.

Ira Hobbs molested my young daughter in our home. My daughter and I have agreed to testify against him. The advocate, investigator and prosecutor are gathering evidence for prosecution. More victims, and those with knowledge of these crimes, would be very valuable as they establish the case, and show his long practice of so horribly damaging so many.

If you are willing to help in this effort, please contact me at dwgardner46@gmail.com and I will connect you with the effort.

Ira practiced this horror for much of his lifetime, and was hidden, protected, and moved from place to place repeatedly by the senior overseers while in the ministry. Fortunately he was finally put out of the work after his life time of fornication and child molestation. He was very clever on how to enjoy his horrid fornication without leaving evidence that could convict him. That is why it important to gather more evidence, victims and witnesses to firmly establish his decades long pattern of fornication, rape and child molestation. He continues it, even after being put out of the work.

Any assistance in this effort would be greatly appreciated. Please contact me.

Thank you,

Sincerely
Dale Gardner
dwgardner46@gmail.com

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WINGS Note: Posted at the specific request of Dale Gardner

Good morning to you all,

There have been some issues weighing heavily on my heart for a long time, so I feel I must write to you.

It concerns, firstly, the continuing abuse of women, children and men in this fellowship, particularly spiritual, sexual emotional and mental abuse which has been brought to your notice many times, with minimal effect. It’s shocking how you’ve simply allowed multiple sex offenders to continue in the work and/or leave the work covered by lies and deceptions, watched them get married and have even given them the place of ‘elder’ uplifting and endorsing them as good, worthy, godly men instead of declaring them ungodly and dangerous to our community.

Secondly, it is despicable the way you have covered the guilty and blamed, shamed and continually intimidated the victims, to keep the truth hidden. Do you have any idea of the trauma and shame these victims and their families go through for their lifetimes afterwards? Not to mention the exorbitant medical expenses.

We opened our hearts and homes to you all, as celibate servants of God, sharing everything we had and giving you our full trust, only to discover decades later the shocking extent to which our families have been abused and blackmailed into keeping quiet. This is absolutely devastating!  The betrayal of trust, the abuse of your authority, the lies and deceit that took place to cover up these sins committed under our very noses, whilst caretaking the Harare Conv grounds, is horrific and defies belief! 

Please don’t accuse me of having a hard, bitter and unforgiving spirit, because this is not so!  I am not looking for retribution for past offenses. I have a grave concern for the present and future safety of everyone in the fellowship, especially the young, innocent children, vulnerable adults and unsuspecting new workers. I feel I cannot stand by without voicing my concern, disillusionment and disgust!  Even if you yourselves are not guilty of these atrocities/crimes, covering and/or condoning these shameful deeds of others makes you guilty!

I, therefore, can no longer listen to you preach God’s precious gospel whilst these matters are not dealt with, so I am withdrawing from the meetings until such time as this situation is rectified. 

This does not mean I have abandoned God. I am standing for honesty and truth and will continue serving Him.

Greetings

Gwen Bartlett

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WINGS Note: Written by a 92 year old lady who lived on convention grounds in Zimbabwe for 30 years.

This message is addressed to the dear, godly friends and workers of the fellowship that has been called the truth for about 125 years. It is also a message that the corrupted and perverted friends and workers, and those who have hidden the perverts, should consider. It is written by me, ex member Dale Gardner, who was put out of the fellowship, more than 35 years ago, by the head overseers of the eastern United States, because I had exposed the fornicating, raping, child molesting senior worker, Ira Hobbs. I long to again be in fellowship with the Godly workers and friends. I still consider them my people. But only if and after they totally separate from the horrid sexually perverted and corrupted friends and workers, and the concealers, that are presently so deeply ingrained in the fellowship. The leaven that Paul described, has worked very deeply in our fellowship.

Have you read the account, in the book of the Judges chapters 19- 21, from thousands of years ago, of the horror of the death of the Israelite concubine, raped to death by the Benjaminite sodomites? I plead to you dear and Godly friends and workers of the fellowship  that you would read and consider that horrific account that God has chosen to leave, as direction, for how to respond when sexual immorality is present among His people. As you consider this horrific account, please remember the words of our Saviour to two of the churches in Asia. His statement was directed to the churches, not the fornicators in those two churches. He said, “I am against you, because you allow fornicators among you”. Do you understand that our Lord and Savior is against us, the fellowship that calls ourselves the Truth, because this fellowship has allowed fornicators to remain among us for the 125 years of its existence? It is reported that William Irvine declared that he started this fellowship as an experiment. He was a fornicator himself, fathering an illegitimate child, with some reports that he continued in sexual perversion. How can it be that a corrupted and fornicating overseeing ministry has been able to so control the fellowship, hiding the fornicators, and freely raping and molesting wives, sister workers and children in this fellowship that calls itself the truth? It is so obvious that the time is long past that the friends should have been awake, and put out the fornicators as quickly as they were discovered. God gave directions through Paul and John as to how to separate fornicators from the church. Have we thought seriously about why we did not do this? We need to start thinking and then take action. The action must be much more than just talk and words. What a horrific mess we are in because we have been sick and sleeping for 125 years, allowing evil fornicators and overseers to control and put us to sleep.

It is long past time to take action! What is the action we should take? There are many thoughts and ideas on this question, and a number of actions are happening. This is very good. However, to date, it appears that there are extremely limited results as far as forcing out the corruption, including the leaders of the corruption. It is now very difficult, and maybe impossible, because of how long and deeply the leaven has corrupted so many in the fellowship, both workers and friends.

It is so important to remember and understand that God has always taught to separate good from evil. That separation began as recorded in Genesis, when he destroyed all the evil people of the earth in the great flood. The Bible gives us a number of accounts of how God Himself, at times, separated good from evil. Other times God gave His help as His people took action to separate from evil. Then there are times when God left it up to His people to choose to separate themselves from evil. But He has made it plain that He is against the church if they do not keep separated from evil.

Some in the fellowship believe that this can be accomplished by forcing the perverted workers and friends out of this fellowship. Others believe this is now impossible because of the depth and breath of the leaven. Some understand that all of those, including both friends and workers, who have concealed and hid the fornicators are also guilty and responsible for the horrid damage to thousands of women and children in the fellowship. Oh what a mess we have allowed, and it will continue until the separation is made. Once this separation is made, the evil workers and friends will continue in their perversion, but no longer able to molest and rape the godly friends, workers, and children of this separated fellowship. Some believe this is the only long term effective answer to the horror presently allowed by the fellowship.

A very important but difficult consideration is the matter of our history of believing and calling our fellowship the truth. Jesus has made it clear, as previously referenced, that He is against us because we have allowed fornicators among us. It is very obvious that our group is far from being the truth. We can never be the truth, but we can become the Church of God as Paul called the Corinthians. Jesus is the Truth. We can become a healthy body of Christ. If we do our part, He will help us with what only He can do. So please do not think that by separating from the present corrupt, fornicating, concealing ministry, that we would be separating from the truth. Instead we would be separating from an evil that God despises. We can then become a church of believers that Christ will rejoice in, The Church of God, as Paul so beautifully called the Corinthian church.

I had thought that I would compare and contrast the horrific account of the wake up call and response, found in Judges, to the wake up call and response, to date, that God orchestrated with the death of Dean Bruer. It now seems this should be saved for another time, as this present effort has become so lengthy. If anyone thinks such a contrast and comparison would be helpful, please let me know and I will try to present a helpful account.

May God move our Godly friends and workers to understand the necessity, and be willing to take the actions, to separate from this horrid evil, and then continue in fellowship as a Church of God, no longer calling ourselves the truth, but followers of Jesus, who is the truth.

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WINGS Note: Dale’s letters from 1988 and 2008 are available at https://wingsfortruth.info/2023/07/08/35-years-ago-to-taylor-wood-and-the-church/

The letters exposed long-standing abuse within the fellowship, but there was insufficient response from the ministry.

WINGS Note: A CSA/SA task force was formed by some friends this summer, in part because it was noticed that some regions were creating CSA policies quickly and other regions were resisting having any policy. So they formed a group to study best practices (and worst practices) and consult experts and research to take a science and fact based approach towards policy construction.  The Safe Church Task Force has asked WINGS to post their material.
WINGS has provided pdf versions of the linked material below.

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The Safe Church Task Force came together this summer to identify what policy elements should be included in a safe church policy and what loopholes or “negative” policy elements should be avoided. The Task Force studied a wide range of external research, science, and reports from other organizations, including from various churches, youth-serving organizations, athletic groups, published academic research, as well as through direct conversations with survivors, experts, and other sources.

We are publishing our version 1.0 work product, in two files:

1) A slide deck overview of our effort: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ARtx-GKs8jLtfIK1_TQdyvGX6bDQCx6vU-pME-Ca4Ms/edit?usp=sharing

2) A Google Sheets file that contains five separate worksheet tabs, including the specific Safe Church Policy elements and the Safe Ministry Handbook elements plus an intro about the file, links to definitions, and resources: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xbefbeak-uRLSqb35w2MDRWJw5yQJzNZLqg0m0RfYxI/edit?usp=sharing

It’s probably best to go through the slide deck first, as it gives the background and gives the lead-in for the worksheet file, which is more actionable.

It is our hope that these findings will be considered as new policies are developed and existing policies strengthened, in order to end the abuse and provide healing for the survivors and the church at large.

We now move to the Engagement Phase of our effort. All members of the team (who are listed on slide 2 of the slide deck) would be happy to help support regional efforts to either implement policies or to improve existing policies. If you’d like to discuss, please reach out to any member of our team.

Also, we held a Zoom call on Sep 11th to present our preliminary findings, and that gives the voice-over for the slides (note that we did make tweaks to what was presented, based on inputs from that Zoom call, to arrive at the final v1.0 products noted above). The link to the Sep 11th Zoom meeting is: https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/ONPwDvRpS6PwUEjXA0hjk2HofEwA_m53hoilQcd6efPJjma8zhQNw3eAIAaCUI7p.695aDvo8a13nbDiD  and the passcode is e=AH&8xG.

Thanks for your support. And feedback is always welcomed at safefellowshipfeedback@gmail.com

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WINGS Note: THis report was prepared by one of the friends.

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Scope of the CSA/SA Problems

Current data collected by reports of CSA after March 2023:

As of July 14th, 2023, there are credible allegations against 550 abusers.

What this means is that per capita, we have surpassed the Catholic Church for abusers. This means that the chances of knowing an abuser, having had them in our homes, or meeting with them in fellowship are extremely high. Every family has been touched by this CSA crisis in one way or another.

Each perpetrator has a minimum of 2 separate allegations, meaning there is a minimum of 1500 victims. (and reports continue to roll in).

What this means, is that in every meeting, there will be a minimum of 1 or more survivors in that meeting. Every meeting needs to be a safe place for our survivors. This means that family, friends and those we meet with have been fighting battles we did not know about. Learn how to support them, the proper language to use and be an advocate for change. It is impossible to know the exact number, partly because SA and CSA are rarely reported. (Less than half of SA cases and only about one in 10 CSA cases are ever reported to authorities.) Based on statistics about how many victim-survivors a single perpetrator abuses, these reports could indicate 5,000-8,000 people subjected to SA or CSA within the Truth.

Around 21 workers in the US and Canada have been removed.

What this means, is we have an unusually high number of perpetrators in our ministry. This means that we have been left vulnerable and unprotected as we have been encouraged to trust our workers. This also means that steps are being taken to listen, learn and remove those from their place of ministry due to allegations.

At least 15 or more workers have left on their own due to mental health or personal convictions (just in 2023 so far).

What this means is our workers are under a large amount of stress. These conversations have been triggering for them. They have been encouraged to continue with gospel meetings and conventions despite their own mental health. Those who have tried to speak up have been pushed to the side. They are not experts in the field of CSA, marriage counseling, or financial matters, yet over the years they have been made responsible for advising in those situations. We need to normalize taking rest/breaks from the work, if they need a rest or are dealing with issues that hinder their ability to preach an honest transparent message. I hope every worker realizes that we love and support them regardless of their place.

8 or more elders have had public allegations made against them.

What this means is we have been choosing dangerous men to serve as elders. Is it possible that we have been choosing based on home size and parking rather than the qualities we read of in 1 Peter 5. We have ‘forgiven’ past CSA sins and given eldership to those who should not be in the presence of children. Creating an unsafe environment for children, survivors and vulnerable people.

Some CSA crimes happened 20 years ago so some people think it should stay in the past.

When you say, ‘it happened 20 years ago’, you are saying that you don’t care about the trauma of the survivor, which lasts well beyond 20 years. Survivor trauma lasts a person’s whole life. When you say, ‘it happened 20 years ago’, you are saying that you are not concerned about the predatory habits of an abuser and that you think it is reasonable to put children at risk rather than hold an abuser accountable to the consequences that are the result of the abusive behavior. God’s arm is not shortened to abusers. An abuser can find help from God. They don’t need to do that by putting innocent children in harm’s way.

6+ Conventions have been canceled and/or adjusted this year (some by workers, some by the owners).

What this means is many convention owners are not willing for the liability that comes with a convention ground where predators are allowed to attend. This means that convention owners understand the seriousness of the crimes and are willing to take a break from convention this year until our fellowship is in a safer place.

98% of CSA/SA allegations are proven true (only 2% are false allegations).

What this means is if someone discloses abuse to you, you should believe them. Chances are extremely high they are telling the truth. Be supportive. Have empathy. Of the 2% that are false, they typically have to do with custody arrangements and money. Neither of which applies to these situations. Coming forward with an allegation takes immense bravery. There is little reason for someone to face the obstacles of reporting SA and CSA if they were not abused.

Some People say that everyone should be innocent until proven guilty.

Actually, a guilty person is always guilty, whether it is proven or not. The law in the USA and other countries is that a person is “presumed innocent” of a criminal offense in a court of law until the state proves him/her guilty. This does not mean that a charged person isn’t guilty and/or dangerous to others. This statement is not meant to inform whether or not individuals set boundaries in order to keep people safe. The wrong statement speaks of absolute innocence; the correct statement is limited to a legal presumption of innocence applied during prosecution.

Only 16% of CSA allegations are ever reported to law enforcement. Less than 4% ever lead to conviction due to statute of limitation laws and other factors. It takes 20 to 40 years on average for survivors of CSA to come forward.

What this means is that survivors face a lot of barriers when it comes to reporting. Our court system is not victim friendly. There is often no ‘proof’ and it is hard to take to court. Survivors take years to process the trauma they experienced as the result of abuse as children. And even as adults, are plagued with shame and doubts. They want to be heard, but going through the courts is triggering and retraumatizing for survivors. We cannot build a culture of safety by relying solely on law enforcement to handle everything, and expect that survivors of abuse will come forward quickly and simply. Often we must use discernment to determine that certain behaviors pose risks to others, even if law enforcement hasn’t been involved. Those behaviors have consequences and those consequences need to be upheld to protect children.

What does this mean for Canada?

The perpetrator count for Canada was 50+ as of a few weeks ago. Canada has no statute of limitations and therefore survivors can come forward to law enforcement with no time limits. (We know that trauma has no time constraints so Canada is ahead of many countries here). What this also means is if we are knowingly putting alleged perpetrators into meetings with children and in peoples’ homes, we too can be held accountable by the courts. That is where the push to listen and take every allegation seriously comes from, to have meetings be taken out of homes of perpetrators and asking those with allegations to not attend meetings or conventions.

This also means that we need our leaders to be educated on disclosures. We don’t expect you to be experts–but we ask that you are willing to listen and seek advice from trained professionals. We have many abusers who are currently in meetings with survivors, children, and potential victims. Without relationships with the experts, who have experience in dealing with sexual offenders, a pastor or community can make grievous decisions that may unintentionally wound a survivor. We ask that you respond to disclosure of abuse with love and concern for their safety and the safety of others. We ask that you not shame those who are speaking out and asking for meeting changes.

Last of all this means that other states and provinces are beginning to listen. They are realizing that we need to prioritize the survivors, those who have been silenced so long. They are removing those with convictions-past and present, and those with allegations of CSA/SA from eldership, meeting and conventions. They see this is for the safety of children, survivors and vulnerable people. They are consulting professionals to create procedures to ensure that everyone knows what to do in the case of CSA/SA. They are putting in boundaries to ensure we keep our youth safe. And they are spending time listening to those who have been hurt so deeply. Trauma has no time limit and no miracle cure. They are also holding worker workshops to educate themselves and learn about selfcare.

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Some friends have started a newsletter series to help inform on the crisis in our church in a gentle and easily digestible way. They explain:

“This initial issue is aimed at spreading awareness for those still in the dark.

Many of us are struggling with helping others understand why we are so upset and grieved. I hope this document can help with those conversations, to show the magnitude of what we are dealing with in our church and educate on the effects CSA/ SA, grooming, low rate of conviction for crimes, etc.

Since many friends are waiting for the workers to validate the crisis, please suggest to your workers that they send it out to their whole field to inform and get everyone on the same page.

The next issues will seek to explain CSA/ SA guidelines/ protocols, cultural/systemic issues that contribute to abuse and coverup, ways forward, and more.“

Google Drive folder containing current and future newsletters: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zhEVseyWpUCchUHqr2PChTy2eK-jYqe4?usp=sharing