I categorise them under these headings:-
(1) An assessment of the Family
(2) Sexually inappropriate conduct
(3) Medical neglect
(4) Impairment of educational development
(5) Impairment of emotional, social or behavioural development
(6) Physical ill-treatment.
(7) Changes made and likely to be made.
I have had perforce to look back over 25 years of The Family's history. I have already given an outline of its development and its structure. It is necessary to look a little more closely at some of those matters for I must not fall into the trap of attributing collective responsibility to The Family as a group when the faults and failings are those of an individual or individuals or even a commune or more than one commune. I have not been given information as to the number of people who have been members of The Family during these past 25 years but since there are about 12,000 current disciples, many, many thousands of many different nationalities must have belonged to the movement over the years. They have lived in communities large and small and in countries near and far. It is, therefore, necessary for me to concentrate on:-
(a) how control was exercised by the leadership;
(b) how loyal and obedient the flock were;
(c) what their view of the outside world was and to what extent they sensed persecution;
(d) Whether they were prepared to deceive.
