Workfare partner The Jesus Army in bullying and sexual abuse cover-up

Department for Work and Pensions did not have the information requested.

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

You used the Jesus Army to deliver "workfare":

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/w...

According to a damning report leaked to the BBC, senior members of the disgraced organisation covered up the abuse of women and children:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-no...

"It attracted thousands of members, from homeless drug addicts to devout Christian families, many of whom lived together in close-knit, rural communes.

Members were put to work on the church's farms or businesses and forced to hand over money and possessions.

Surviving members have described an intense, bullying regime, in which children were severely disciplined and forced to sit through long worship sessions involving speaking in tongues and exorcisms."

The link to the organisation that you provided in your response to the request above now contains the following extracts:

"On Sunday 26th May, the members of the Jesus Fellowship Church (JFC) voted to revoke the Church’s constitution. This means that the national Church, formerly known as the Jesus Army, will cease to exist and the current National Leadership Team will be stepping down from their roles once the winding up of the central Church has been completed."

"In 2013 the JFC invited people to make disclosures about their experiences of the Church and many came forward with disclosures related to pastoral abuse and bullying as well as financial, physical and sexual abuse."

"This information was passed to the Police, who launched Operation Lifeboat, examining non-recent abuse in the JFC. As a result, a number of criminal cases were successfully prosecuted through the courts."

https://jesus.org.uk/

1. If any benefit claimants who participated in "workfare" with the Jesus Army contacted the DWP with allegations of a sexual nature, please provide the number who did.

2. Please confirm whether you were contacted by the police concerning any criminal investigation into the organisation.

Yours faithfully,

J Roberts

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DWP Central FOI Team,

1 Attachment

Dear J Roberts,

I am writing in response to your request for information, received 5th
August.

Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team