“ The first thing Dov needs to work on is getting the Assembly to pass the bill that was approved by the State Senate last year. This bill calls for mandatory background checks and fingerprinting for all prospective private school employees, as well as a sex offender registry. These are all mandatory in the public school system. The bill has been waiting passage in the Assembly since June 2007. Another important issue is mandatory reporting by private schools. ”

“ Yasher Koach to Dov for addressing this issue on his show. As people have pointed out, it is not important about the credibility or character of one individual's intentions when they are doing the right thing.

Those of us working in the mental health field all know that sexual abuse of children is a common occurence in our community just like in any other community. The exact numbers and prevalence have not yet been established. For this our community will need to care enough about the problem to fund and assist psychologists to study our community and give them access to large groups of people who will participate in studies.

In the meantime, what we see in our practices is more than enough pain and suffering to warrant a strong community response by each and every Jew to become educated, aware and involved in protecting children.

Unfortuantely the lack of publicity, that is often attributed to tznius, chilul hashem, lashon hara, etc. casues several problem already enumerated by other writers and commenters:

A) It creates a breeding ground for criminals who know that in our community the silence protects them. This is why studies in Israel DO show that there is more molestation in Bnei Brak then any other city. Because if someone touches a kid in Tel Aviv they fear going to jail, but molesters will move into Bne Brak knowing that the laws of chillul hashem, mesira, lashon hara, etc. and the community's taboo and silence will protect them.

B)Secondly, it is much, much harder for victims to heal in a society that encourages them to keep their trauma secret. They feel ashamed enough as it is to have endured the degradation of sexual abuse. They fear reprisals by their abusers and those community leaders that seek to protect the community's name. There are even cases of frum therapists that have not believed people who were molested by rabbis because they could not accept the fact that a rabbi could do that. We as a society need the issue to be aired publicly in order for victims to trust us and get the help and support they need.

So good work Dov, and good work VIN in breaking down the walls of denial and secrecy that impede our community from conquering the problem once and for all.

lipnera@gmail.com ”

“ Yasher Koach to Dov for addressing this issue on his show. As people have pointed out, it is not important about the credibility or character of one individual's intentions when they are doing the right thing.

Those of us working in the mental health field all know that sexual abuse of children is a common occurence in our community just like in any other community. The exact numbers and prevalence have not yet been established. For this our community will need to care enough about the problem to fund and assist psychologists to study our community and give them access to large groups of people who will participate in studies.

In the meantime, what we see in our practices is more than enough pain and suffering to warrant a strong community response by each and every Jew to become educated, aware and involved in protecting children.

Unfortuantely the lack of publicity, that is often attributed to tznius, chilul hashem, lashon hara, etc. casues several problem already enumerated by other writers and commenters:

A) It creates a breeding ground for criminals who know that in our community the silence protects them. This is why studies in Israel DO show that there is more molestation in Bnei Brak then any other city. Because if someone touches a kid in Tel Aviv they fear going to jail, but molesters will move into Bne Brak knowing that the laws of chillul hashem, mesira, lashon hara, etc. and the community's taboo and silence will protect them.

B)Secondly, it is much, much harder for victims to heal in a society that encourages them to keep their trauma secret. They feel ashamed enough as it is to have endured the degradation of sexual abuse. They fear reprisals by their abusers and those community leaders that seek to protect the community's name. There are even cases of frum therapists that have not believed people who were molested by rabbis because they could not accept the fact that a rabbi could do that. We as a society need the issue to be aired publicly in order for victims to trust us and get the help and support they need.

So good work Dov, and good work VIN in breaking down the walls of denial and secrecy that impede our community from conquering the problem once and for all.

lipnera@gmail.com ”

“ Yasher Koach to Dov for addressing this issue on his show. As people have pointed out, it is not important about the credibility or character of one individual's intentions when they are doing the right thing.

Those of us working in the mental health field all know that sexual abuse of children is a common occurence in our community just like in any other community. The exact numbers and prevalence have not yet been established. For this our community will need to care enough about the problem to fund and assist psychologists to study our community and give them access to large groups of people who will participate in studies.

In the meantime, what we see in our practices is more than enough pain and suffering to warrant a strong community response by each and every Jew to become educated, aware and involved in protecting children.

Unfortuantely the lack of publicity, that is often attributed to tznius, chilul hashem, lashon hara, etc. casues several problem already enumerated by other writers and commenters:

A) It creates a breeding ground for criminals who know that in our community the silence protects them. This is why studies in Israel DO show that there is more molestation in Bnei Brak then any other city. Because if someone touches a kid in Tel Aviv they fear going to jail, but molesters will move into Bne Brak knowing that the laws of chillul hashem, mesira, lashon hara, etc. and the community's taboo and silence will protect them.

B)Secondly, it is much, much harder for victims to heal in a society that encourages them to keep their trauma secret. They feel ashamed enough as it is to have endured the degradation of sexual abuse. They fear reprisals by their abusers and those community leaders that seek to protect the community's name. There are even cases of frum therapists that have not believed people who were molested by rabbis because they could not accept the fact that a rabbi could do that. We as a society need the issue to be aired publicly in order for victims to trust us and get the help and support they need.

So good work Dov, and good work VIN in breaking down the walls of denial and secrecy that impede our community from conquering the problem once and for all.

lipnera@gmail.com ”