Sixth of all youngsters in the Jesus Army cult were sexually molested.
The despotic head of the Jesus Fellowship, Noel Stanton, passed away in 2009 before he could face any criminal charges.
In the process of compensating members of the now-defunct religious cult known as the Jesus Army, 539 accused abusers have been recognized, and it has been discovered that almost one in six children had experienced sexual assault.
Northamptonshire Police is in contact with the appropriate the local government to see whether any safeguarding measures are necessary in light of the suspicion that some of those charged, including 162 former leaders, may have assumed positions in other churches.
The Jesus Fellowship Church gathered hundreds of individuals to reside in close-knit, puritanical communities in Northamptonshire, London, and the Midlands. The church dissolved in 2019 when the BBC uncovered claims of extensive child abuse.
The Jesus Fellowship Social interaction Trust (JFCT), which has been managing the organization's affairs, expressed regret for "the profoundly adverse impact" on people's lives and expressed the hope that the redress scheme's finalization would give all those impacted over a 50-year period "an opportunity to look to the later years."
The police have been notified of the results. The final report from the trust showed:
- It was thought that one in six youngsters had eqxperienced sexual abuse.
- 601 people filed claims for damages, but the trust acknowledged that there were probably more victims in total.
- A total of £7.7 million has been given to program candidates directly.
- A total of 539 people were recognized as the suspected abusers.
After conducting two investigations into the Jesus Army, a representative for Northamptonshire Police stated that the force has been "involving with the redress scheme" but that "no fresh offenses had been discovered yet."
The statement continued, "Police systems will be used to investigate suspects identified by the procedure, and appropriate protection measures will be implemented as a result. Approximately twelve previous members of the Jesus Fellowship Church have been found guilty of various offenses, including sexual assault, to date.
Kathleen Hallisey in front of a row of red-brick buildings on a pedestrian-only street More than 100 survivors of the Jesus Fellowship have been represented by Kathleen Hallisey, who claims that abuse, denial, and cover-up were commonplace.
More than 100 survivors are being represented by Kathleen Hallisey of Hugh James solicitors. She expressed her shock at the number of additional possible abusers that have been found, but she also expressed unsurprisal.
"The fact that a large number of people have never been prosecuted and are at large among us is especially worrisome."Furthermore, safeguarding checks are not infallible since they do not always prevent suspects from entering other organizations and abusing their position.
"We don't have a reporting obligation in this country," said Ms. Hallisey, "so there's not a demand for people to report assault, and that's terrifying and depressing."
Growing up in community housing, 46-year-old Phillipa Barnes appeared in trial as a young person against an elder who was the first in the community to be found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. She claimed that after leaving the organization after being rejected by the leaders, she eventually founded the Jesus Fellowship Survivors Association.
"For numerous victims, it has been a challenging journey filled with heartache, as they have not received the justice, compensation, or recognition they truly deserve."They've been minimized and rejected once more, and if I had known how we would be handled, I never would have put this up.
Ms. Barnes is one of hundreds of people who suffered throughout their early years due to things like having to follow an intense religious regimen, having their toys and pastimes taken away, and being taken from their families.
She alleged that she was sexually assaulted by her peers and that she was frequently stalked by a paedophile. In all, she was awarded £22,000 as part of the reparations plan.
Accused of multiple sexual attacks on youngsters, the late Baptist preacher Noel Stanton started the Jesus Society in 1969 in Bugbrooke Chapel, Northamptonshire. An old Georgian building with two green gates and windows with sashes is called Bugbrooke Chapel. In the upstairs chamber of Bugbrooke Chapel, Noel Stanton converted young men from the neighborhood to start the Jesus Fellowship Church. After being employed at Jesus Fellowship establishments, members were bused into urban areas on the weekends to spread the gospel and persuade people to join the movement. Stanton frequently performed exorcisms and spoke in tongues during his sermons to the locals. Congregation members were asked to confess their misdeeds in public.
Following the cult's dissolution in 2019, the JFCT started selling off assets, which included a sizable portfolio of real estate believed to be worth £50 million. Trustees have been accused by numerous victims of being slow to resolve their claims. A large number of Lime Solicitors' clients, according to Malcolm Johnson, "still seeking the payment that they owe". "The belief must do anything in its authority to guarantee an immediate conclusion to these asserts, so that no one requires waiting any longer than strictly necessary," he stated. "In my opinion, the entire amount of compensation could surpass £10 million, and this clearly illustrates the harm caused by the Jesus Army over a period of decades."
The trust stated that the organization "frequently refused to report assault to government and actively prevented survivors from engaging others" . It expressed gratitude to "all those who expressed their opinions for being brave in bringing these negative events to light" . After it has been dissolved, the JFCT intends to make additional discretionary payments to previous members with any remaining cash; however, a number of possible civil lawsuits have caused the process to be postponed.
It's unclear if recipients will include any former rulers. Following an independent investigation that was commissioned by the Jesus Fellowship in 2020, it was discovered that five prominent figures, referred to as the Apostles, had concealed misconduct of women and children. Vicky Lawson-Brown's 800-page report was leaked to the BBC, and an excerpt claimed the men had mismanaged their sexual offenses and conspired with other offenders.
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