Two by Twos: NZ police confirm fresh reports of alleged abuse
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Police have today confirmed more people have come forward to report allegations of sexual abuse within the New Zealand Two by Twos church.
Two people have contacted police to disclose alleged abuse in the last three weeks.
Detective Inspector Warwick McKee would not reveal where the complaints were from or where the active investigations were based.
The Two by Twos are a controversial home-based fundamentalist Christian church.,
It is thought to have several thousand members in NZ.
The FBI has launched a global investigation into the church, described by some as a cult, after several former members made allegations of sexual abuse.
In February, NZ police became involved, and Two by Two members here who had contacted the FBI received an email from the national adult sexual assault team.
Since then, many former members have spoken about their experiences in the church – some calling it a cult and describing it as a “high-control” organisation.
The movement was founded in 1887 by Scotsman William Irvine, but some profess its beginnings can be traced back to Galilee, where Jesus Christ is said to have been raised.
Officially, the church has no name, there are no official buildings, and it is not registered as a charity.
Members meet at private homes for “House Church” on Sundays and gather at community halls for “gospel” sessions led by “workers” – pairs of preachers – several times a week.
Content retrieved from: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/two-by-twos-nz-police-confirm-fresh-reports-of-alleged-abuse/BNWMNOXQHFCQHAY33VN745KIQI/.
