FBI investigates reports of historical child sexual abuse within sect also operating in New Zealand
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This story discusses details of sexual abuse.
A victim advocate says police are investigating multiple reports of historical child sexual abuse within a secretive house-church that has operated in New Zealand for over a century and is being investigated by the FBI.
The religious group meets in homes and has no official name but is commonly known as Two by Twos to those who have left, and The Truth to those who belong.
The FBI is investigating the sect in America, where more than 700 alleged offenders have been reported to a hotline, there have also been reports of abuse in the UK and Australia.
It has taken a high-profile FBI investigation overseas and multiple reports of child abuse in other countries for New Zealand victims to come forward.
Jillian Hishon grew up in the sect in Australia, but left the religious group when she married someone who was not part of it.
She now runs a hotline set up for Australasian victims of the sect known as The Truth, after evidence of child abuse emerged in America last year, and has been fielding calls from New Zealanders.
“To date, they are all historical child sexual abuse, so they’ve happened years ago. So these people who have abused, some are still in the church, so some of the abusers are still in the church, they’re still attending meetings, some of them, some have been removed, others have already passed away.”
Content retrieved from: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/514661/fbi-investigates-reports-of-historical-child-sexual-abuse-within-sect-also-operating-in-new-zealand.
