Survivors seek a reckoning as FBI investigates child sex abuse in little-known Christian sect

FBI investigates sexual abuse allegations within secretive Christian sect, sparking global outcry and survivor support networks.

Nearly every detail about the religious group Lisa Webb’s family belonged to was hidden from the outside world. Its followers met in homes rather than churches. Its leadership structure was hard to discern, and its finances were opaque. It didn’t even have an official name.

But for decades, no secret was as closely guarded as the identities of the sexual predators inside the group known as the “Two by Twos.”

Now a growing number of public allegations from around the world have prompted a broad investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and placed an uncomfortable spotlight on the long-quiet Christian sect. Survivors say the group's leaders protected child-abusing ministers by pressuring victims to forgive, ignoring legal reporting requirements, and transferring abusers to new locations to live with unsuspecting families.

Ministry leaders have publicly condemned the abuse, but several declined to answer questions from The Associated Press (AP).

For Ms. Webb, who was sexually abused by one of the group's ministers as a child, the attention has brought an unexpected sense of “strength in numbers.”

“There are so many who are frustrated and disheartened," said Ms. Webb. "But there's also camaraderie in that, and support.”

A website, a hotline, and social media pages established by victims have documented allegations against more than 900 abusers, with survivors in more than 30 countries and cases continuing to emerge. In the past year, news stories and a Hulu documentary have focused on the sect’s predator preachers and the leaders who enabled them.