Recognizable questions

- Have you ever experienced having to back up your story or have it confirmed before someone took you seriously?

- Do you recognize the feeling that an organization values rules more than what you have experienced?

- Have you ever wondered whether you should raise something internally or instead seek help from outside?

- Do you know the feeling of needing support, but not being sure whom you can safely turn to?

- Have you ever experienced a matter involving abuse, boundaries, or trust putting your relationship with your community under pressure?

The two-witness rule is an internal policy among Jehovah's Witnesses that states a congregation member cannot be subject to internal disciplinary action based solely on the accusation of one person. The rule has received worldwide attention because of its application in cases of sexual abuse.

The biblical basis

The organization bases the policy on Deuteronomy 19:15 and Matthew 18:16: "On the evidence of two or three witnesses every matter must be established." In the JW interpretation, this means that one statement is insufficient for congregational action.

How does it work in practice?

If someone tells an elder that he or she has been sexually abused by a congregation member, the elders will only start an internal disciplinary procedure if there is a second witness, or if the accused admits the facts. If that is not the case, the matter is 'left in Jehovah's hands'.

At the same time, until relatively recently, the policy was that elders would not contact the police themselves — that was considered the responsibility of the victim or the parents.

External criticism and investigation

The rule and the broader handling of abuse have been the subject of legal and parliamentary investigations in several countries:

  • Australia (2015): The Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse found that the organization had internally recorded 1,006 alleged perpetrators who had never been reported to the police. The two-witness rule was identified as a contributing factor.
  • The Netherlands: The Velleman Committee published a report in 2023 on sexual abuse in Dutch JW congregations. The committee concluded that the organizational structure hindered reporting and handling of abuse.
  • Other countries: Similar investigations have been conducted or are ongoing in Belgium, the UK, Canada, and the US.

What the organization says about it

The organization states that victims can always contact the police and that elders never actively discourage this. In practice, many victims describe different experiences. The organization has adjusted its policy on this point several times, but the core of the two-witness rule for internal procedures has not been abolished.

What this means if you are a victim

If you have experienced abuse in a congregation — as a child or as an adult — you have the right to report it to the police, regardless of how the congregation handled your statement. The Dutch police and the Public Prosecution Service are not bound by the internal rules of religious organizations.

Veilig Thuis (0800-2000) and Slachtofferhulp Nederland can support you if you do not know where to begin.