Fairbridge Restored Limited, a former Christian group often described as a “cult” has become the only institution that has not joined the National Redress Scheme for victims of child sexual abuse, despite having a combined 77 claims of child sex abuse against them.
Kenja Communication, Fairbridge Restored Limited, and Jehovah’s Witnesses, will no longer be eligible for government grants and could possibly lose their charitable status for tax purposes after deciding not to sign on to the scheme by the end of 2020, which denied victims recourse to compensation.
The scheme offers counseling and support in addition to a payment up to $150,000, as well as a direct response from the responsible institution to victims who claim they were sexually abused. The scheme was set up under the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.
Ken Dyers, the founder of the group, now deceased, spent the last 15 years of his life fighting accusations of child sexual abuse claims. He was convicted of one offense, but it was overturned on appeal. He committed suicide in 2007 after new se abuse allegations came out against him.
Jan Hamilton, his widow, said she did not believe any of the accusations and that there had not been any sexual abuse at Kenja Communication.
A statement released by the group said: “We do not consider it appropriate that we join in circumstances where genuine claims against us do not exist.”
