Allegations of Abuse in Institutions |
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Prime
Minister Helen Clark says she is concerned about claims of sexual abuse
within the Exclusive Brethren church and is urging victims to go to the
police. A former
church member earlier revealed on One News how the abuse was covered up for
several decades. And
she now has more revelations about her time in the secretive sect. The
Exclusive Brethren church sets its own rules and deals with those who break
them in its own way. But
claims some teenagers and children were sexually abused by other church
members has caused alarm at the highest levels . "It's
important that sexual predators are brought to justice," Clark says.
"I'm always concerned by claims of sexual abuse and cover-ups of
it." Philippa,
a former member of the church, says that abuse was occurring up until nine
years ago. And
she is not the only one. One
News has spoken to a former member who says he was abused as a child. He doesn't
want to dredge up his past, but does want to confirm that what Philippa has
told One News about abuse within the Exclusive Brethren is true. Police
say they will only investigate claims if a complaint is laid. Police
Minister Annette King says she understands there could be some sensitivities,
but nobody in any organisation is above the law. "And
if people have issues they ought to go to the police, I'm urging them to go
to the police." It
is not just abuse they may be interested in. Like
the former head of the church in Australia, Philippa says she once carried
large sums of money overseas. "I
was handed five or six envelopes just a couple of nights before I left and
told these were gifts for various men. I do recall feeling slightly
uncomfortable. I didn't carry them in my handbag, I stuffed them in between
my clothes," she says. She
doesn't deny what she did was illegal. Right
now though, it is sexual abuse allegations police want to know about. |