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Sexual Abuse and Immorality within the "Truth Church"

an ongoing problem

There has long been an undercurrent of whispers regarding sexual impropriety on the part of Workers, Elders and others within the Two by Two church, few victims were willing to step forward. This began to change with victims willing to relate their experiences in newsletters, books (such as Reflections and Reflected Truth) and eventually in online discussions. As it became clear that society has grown intolerant of such behavior, particularly in the case of the sexual abuse of children, more victims have been emboldened to report such incidents to police, child welfare and other authorities. This has resulted in multiple court cases and convictions around the globe, including jail time served by a U.S. Overseer/Head Worker for his part in one such case.*

While it would be unfair to characterize the Two by Two sect as a "club for pedophiles" or insinuate that that all, or even most, are involved in such immoral behavior, the problem continues, despite attempts at coverup or tentative attempts to quietly address the issue. Some observers have noted that the incidence of sexual abuse seems to be higher within the Two by Twos on a per-capita basis than in other religious groups that have undergone widely reported scandals of a similar nature.

News reporting, such as these from the BBC in the U.K., Canada's CBC, and Australia's 60 Minutes have also begun to further make the problem known widely.

In the United States, there have been several convictions due to sexual abuse. In February 2024, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation began asking the help of past and current victims of abuse in the Two by Twos. If you, a family member, or someone you know has experienced such a situation, they have set up an online questionaire on their official website

In Australia, where a Royal Commission was established to investigate the problem of child sexual abuse across all groups, the Two by Two organization was required to submit evidence, resulting in additional exposure. This included several newspaper articles and the following 2019 60 Minutes feature from Australia:

While the episode above (see also the online extra video) is undoubtedly strident in its criticism of the sect's handling of sexual abuse, the producers did offer the Workers an opportunity to tell their side of the story, and the response was a brief statement from a Head Worker that the church was taking steps to train ministers to avoid the problem. Initial reaction among Two by Twos who have seen the video has thus far ranged from sorrow that this type of thing occurred, to diversions from the topic discussed (for instance, criticizing the images used as backdrops rather than addressing the core issue being covered).

A website set up by a few Two by Two ex-members and current lay members at Wings for Truth is available for those seeking change in the Two by Two system to counter abuses. Another, Advocates for the Truth is focused on providing help for victims. The take-away is that sexual abuse (of children or adults) is a crime and one should report such incidents to the police or family welfare officials. By doing so, you will be doing the most effective thing both to start getting help for the victim and preventing future victimizations.
 

* A partial listing of court cases involving sexual abuse within the Two by Twos:

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