Our Replies To Allegations Of Child Abuse

Our Replies To Allegations of Child Abuse

— Issued by World Services on the Collective Behalf of the Fellowship of Independent Missionary Communities Commonly Referred to as The Family, June 1992

It has come to our attention that serious accusations of sexual misconduct involving children being made against members of our fellowships, principally by some disaffected former members who are working in conjunction with various anti-cult ganisations. In the of any medical or other tangible evidence to support these allegations, our adversaries have produced some rather extreme and out-dated examples of literature published in the hy some in our former fellowships, maintaining that such literature accurately reflects the lifestyle and practices of our membership. Nothing could be further the truth. Therefore, we feel it necessary to confront and deal with this issue directly, in order to provide objective observers with an opportunity to hear all the facts regarding this matter, that they may then draw their own conclusions.

Our Policy Concerning Child Abuse

We reiterate that all the communities belonging to our fellowship, The are unequivocally op-posed to any and all forms child abuse, whether it be physical, sexual, emotional, educational, psychological, or otherwise. We do not tolerate any of abuse of children within our communities.

We consider, quite literally, that each and every child is a priceless gift from God, and we treat them as such. Our excellent care of children has tiated and documented by doctors and specialists in many countries who have psychologically and physiologically tested children from our fellowships. and have found that they are in excellent condition, both mentally and physically, and have a very good. natural, healthy, and socially acceptable attitude towards life and sex.

Anyone who is at all acquainted with us knows that we are a very family-oriented movement, and put a great emphasis on the proper rearing and educating of our children. We have puhlished thousands of pages of material covering in exhaustive detail every aspect of prenatal care, natural childbirth, baby and child care, early education, mental, emotional, physical development: discipline, etc. We do not claim to he perfect, or that the memhers in all our communities around the world have never made mistakes, but we do claim to genuinely love each child in our com-munities, and to continually strive to improve the quality of life for them by constantly upgrading the standard of care they receive.

We have also taken a very firm approach to ensure that no instance of abuse of minors occurs within our communities. Our members have all agreed that any sexual contact between an adult and anyone under the age of 21 is strictly forbidden. Any adult who breaks this rule has no place in our fellowship and must im-mediately leave, and will be excommunicated from any contact whatsoever with our worldwide fellowship. Any adult found guilty of committing a sexual act with a minor is automatically and completely ex-communicated from any contact whatsoever with our worldwide fellowship. The same is true concerning physical child abuse. Any adult who physically abuses a child is immediately expelled from our fellowship. Similarly, any parent who through neglect (or in any other way) abuses his or her children is alsoasked to leave our fellowship if the problem recurs after a warning. We simply do tolerate child abuse in any way, shape or form.

We emphasise that these rules and penalties have heen agreed to by all of our membership, and are rigorously adhered to and enforced within all member communities. Leadership of a community do not hesitate to put out from among them anyone found guilty of such crimes. Our fellowships are not, and never have been, interested in keeping individuals within our ranks who are not willing to abide by the rules that we have all voluntarily agreed upon, rules which we believe are founded on standards of conduct that Christ gave His followers in the New Testament. Nowhere are the rules more strictly enforced than when the basic health and safety of these precious children are involved. Anyone whose actions or behaviour could be detrimental to our children has no place among us.