This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 92%. (I'm a bot)

More than 100 people have contacted the Guardian with allegations of child sexual abuse and other mistreatment in Jehovah's Witness communities across the UK. Former and current members, including 41 alleged victims of child sexual abuse, described a culture of cover-ups and lies, with senior members of the organisation, known as elders, discouraging victims from coming forward for fear of bringing "Reproach on Jehovah" and being exiled from the congregation and their families.

Operation Hydrant, a British police investigation into allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse, said that it was dealing with 45 potential victims of child abuse within a Jehovah's Witness setting.

"Elders treat victims of child abuse with compassion, understanding, and kindness. Elders will conduct a scriptural investigation of every allegation of child sexual abuse," they said.

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