B"H
In a secular Israeli paper I read that just as in Catholic society, more and more haredi sexual abuse victims open up and talk about their former abuse. Being abused by haredi rabbis or further members of haredi society.
The time of silence seems to be over. Especially in the US but also in Israel, more and more parents even involve the police and complain that their children were sexual abused.
In the past, people just kept quiet.
What could you do if your child was abused by, let's say, a well respected rabbi of the community ? Was there a chance of accusing him and taking him to court ? What about the neighbours and the child's future life ? Who wants a Shidduch who got abused in his or her childhood ?
However, now even haredi society opens up a little and starts acknowledging the problem openly:
http://theawarenesscenter.org/
This site has been having thousands of hits and every one of us should check it out !
Monday, December 8, 2008
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Sorry Miriam, but here in America it's not what you think. The situation has been miserable and astounding for months now. It started with Nochum Rosenberg, who you see on that website. In Boro Park, in Williamsburg, in the frume communities, he is an outcast! He has received a number of death threats, and some Satmar bochurim even came after him with a gun. In the Satmar papers they have printed cartoons of him as a snake with the head chopped off.
ReplyDeleteA very prominent chosid and Dr. in the community decided to now devote his askanus to sexual abuse. Within ONE WEEK he got so many threats not only to himself but to his children and grandchildren that he gave up askanus. Assemblyman Dov Hikind is a real hero as is Nochum Rosenberg for standing up against all of these Rabbonim, and all of these ignorant people in the community who say that it's just not happening. More and more people are coming forward, but the situation is definitely miserable, because the Rabbonim only keep sweeping it under the rug.
B"H
ReplyDeleteIn Israeli haredi society, especially American haredim have the reputation of being more open. Sometimes even too open minded and thus, sometimes Israeli Chassidim (if they want to be called Israeli at all:-))))
don't like too much getting a Shidduch with a Chutznik (someone from abroad - Chutz La'Aretz). Some refer to Chutz La'Aretz also as "Schmutz La'Aretz.:-)))
And this is why I thought that more American Haredim would complain than Israeli ones.
Basically in Israel it is the same. You go and complain and your own haredi environment will finish you off. Unless you find some more parents and complain together.
It is disgusting that the old power game still reigns about everything !