Jerusalem – A conference on child welfare held last week at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva delved deeply into the issue of child molestation within Israel’s Chareidi community, which according to conference attendees has reached “alarming rates.”
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Israeli news source Yedioth Ahronot reports that according to Yishai Shalif, director of educational and psychological services in Modiin Ilit, investigations into incidents of child molestation were done with the full backing of R’ Yosef Shalom Elyashiv and that the problem is so widespread that “there is no day that goes by without an incident.”
The fact that the Chareidi community is so insulated from the outside world only compounds the problem, according to Batsheva Sheinin, director of B’libeinu, which deals with children and teens who have fallen prey to molesters.
“A Chareidi child is taught from infancy to obey blindly without question,” explained Ms. Sheinin. “Children would never tell anyone if someone behaved inappropriately because they have been taught from the youngest ages that repeating anything negative is lashon hara and is strictly forbidden.”
Approximately 2000 workshops were held last year to educate Chareidi children from ages three to eighteen on preventing sexual abuse, according to Debbie Gross, director of Jerusalem’s Crisis Center for Religious Women.
“The fact that this issue is even being addressed is a clear indicator that the Chareidi community has come a long way and authorities have to do their part by responding with great sensitivity to this community,” said Hannah Slutzky, national supervisor for child affairs at the Welfare and Social Services Ministry, who said that ten years ago a conference like this would never have taken place.
Dr. Yitzchak Kadman, executive director of the National Council for the Child, reported that while several hundred cases of child molestation were investigated last year, he suspects that the number was considerably higher, calling the reported number of cases “just the tip of the iceberg.”
Did they do a study about Child Molestation in Israel’s non Chareidi Community ?
Why should we believe any study that a non Chareidi professor Does about the Chareidi Community they have
Proven themselves before not to be reliable
By the seculer people its much more just nobody reporting it & no medio coveridge
A lot of this is exaggerated stuff. Yes, there is a problem, but nowhere near the amount that you would believe if you follow the media which seems to be obsessed with these stuff.
Were is the report about raping young ladies in Israel after your president was arrested and is serving time in prison
For rape ??
looks to me like a hate agenda rather then a honest study ?????
wow, sounds like #s 1, 2, 3, and 4 …really care about the victims……
Sadly, among the chareidim, child abuse has become so routine this is no longer considered such a big thing. The expectation is that the perps won’t get caught, and even if they do, they will be protected from the police by their own chevrah. Only after a few more of these creatures are put in jail for long terms will the message get out.
Unfortunately, it’s because of ppl like you that our children are in such a precarious situation. It”s time us frum ppl stop burying our heads in the sand and realize that there IS a big problem tht has been swept under the rug for way too long. I am not saying that this study is accurate or not, and I don’t know where it’s worse by the chareidim or the seculars. All I know is thqat children are innocent regardless of frum or not and should not be taken advantage of! That being said b”H for the organizition that is directected by Mrs. Fox called ALeinu which is teaching our children about personal safety
Please note that the Gedolim have given their haskamah to these people because they are aware that there is a serious problem that can no longer be swept under the rug. In fact, doing so for so long, has undoubtedly worsened the problem dramatically. The people involved have been chosen to do this work because they are respected by the Gedolim and Askanim. They are experts who are carefully treading as not to offend the frum community. It is a serious problem, whether it occurs more frequently or less frequently then among the chilonim and it MUST be addressed as it literally destroys the psyche and frumkite of each and every child that this happens to. It is mamash a spiritual retzichah and we need to thank and respect those that are trying to help us as we have 100% failed in managing this problem ourselves. In fact we have caused it to become much, much worse.
Unfortunately the reality is that it DOES happen. Instead of blaming the revelations on the secular media, we have to fix the problem.
There is a reason why Great Rabbanim have written on this issue namely: HaRav Elyashav, Rav Sharga Faivel Cohen, Rav Moshe Halberstam, Rav Asher Zelig Weiss.
There is a reason why at the aguda convention they have a symposium specifically geared to this topic.
No, we are not at epidemic proportions, however WE are frum and we have a 0 tolerance level. Even 1 molestation is too much. They are right when the non-frum attack- We have an achrayis to our kids, to our community and to the world.
I’m sure we will be able to pull the abusers from out under the carpet, and eradicate them from the community.
It will only be then, that people are afraid of being of being revealed and their life potentially ruined, will people realize- there is no secrets, molesters will be revealed and no one will dear to hurt a kid.
We are getting there– IYH we will soon be free of molesters, in a world where children and parents can live peacefully without the fair of monsters lurking around.
Remember the Yidden are strong, and will always be strong!
Blame it on the smart phones.
So, molestation has reached an “alarming rateM. And what, pray tell. Is a rate that is NOT alarming?!! When the first child was molested it reached an alarming rate. This “alarming rate” attitude is the crux of the problem: It’s only now, when we feel that the incidences of molestation have reached an “alarming rate” do we feel compelled to so something. So until now we let this fester and grow unabated.
Ridiculous just more media incitement from the left you can’t believe a word they say.
To poster #1 , 2, 3 and 4: why are you comparing the seculars to us? We are supposed to be shining examples and have a ZERO tolerance for abuse. ZERO! Even one Yiddish Neshama that gets abused is too much.
If ppl would show real love to there children and not being so strict and angry thhe kids would speak up to there their parents and alot of problems would be solved!!!!
Abuse and Molestation are 2 catagories and should not be considred in the same Level.
Many years ago Child Molestation was very rare in the Chareidishe Community. A slap on the face or even hit with a belt was more common, but that was a accepted way of punishment for children. and within the non Chareidy community it was 500 to 600 times worse. that is all about Abuse.
Today, Most charedi parents know that a stick or a belt is not the way of Education. So those who still use those old tactics are considered Child Abuser.
Now. Molestation is a shame to say that its more then in those old days. But not in such high percent as the Non orthodox therapist and medea blow ups.
it must be addressed and Askanim MUST get involved to protect children from both problems. Abuse and Mollestation are both spreading and needs help before it gets out of control. But this medea artical is way way not true.
Obviously number 17 and 18 are the same person. Writing Jay for one post and Tom for the next does not take away from the fact that you spelled secular wrong both times by writing “scalar”.
Let’s face reality; in the charedi community “yichus” counts big time. Therefore it is crucial for families to cover up molestation. On both sides, the molester and the molestee. The children of the molester will not get good shiduchim; also his relatives. Same for the molestee. So veryone covers up. Shshshsh … And this aggrevates the problem.
Number 1-4 and 16 how exactly do you know these figures to be correct?
“THere is far less” “Not as bad as the media” blah blah blah. Do you think you would actually know how much abuse/molestation is occurring in a given community at any time? Stop being so naive. Much of it goes unreported.
Stop being defensive. One child molested is one too many. One life ruined. One chillul hashem. Often one cover up – all too many.
Of course this research is done by “seculars” because chareidim are not producing professors.
And there is definitely a MASSIVE issue with insularity. When the chareidi community does finally admit there is a problem no doubt they will blame TV, secular values, goyishe influences etc. Maybe the goyishe influences we need right now are to be MORE concerned about child welfare… why is it the baalei teshuva and “MO” who are concerned whilst many chareidim especially FFB buy into this whole conspiracy theory?
We’re winning!
We do it less than the chilonim, so who cares if a lot of our kids get messed up!
Nothing matters, as long as they’re worse than we are.
That’ll validate all my choices and all my personal insecurities.
To #20 You are 100% right!! However what are we going to do about the poor victims right now!! What about the molesters?? They will be free to molest some more if they are not treated properly, either medically or arrested and given medical treatment!! Chances are that they were molested as kids!! It is a vicious cycle!! It has to stop!!
Unfortunately in an interview with some chareidi men after the 8yr old girl incident in Beit Shemesh, one man said “I’m a healthy male” just like everyone else, which is why the little girls need to be taught to dress right.
Here in the States he would probably be searched for pedophilia. I don’t know any “healthy male” who needs to prevent himself from being attracted to 8 yr olds…. When this mindset becomes commonplace, its no wonder the numbers on child molestation are high.
How comes no one can spell the word ‘secular’ right.
My advice to all those trying to make a point; no one is going to take your point of view seriously if you can’t even spell. So first off teach yourself how to spell and then start blogging.
I feel that the over emphasis on chumros in tznuis, the overly strict separation between men and women, and the extreme sheltering have all led us here. When women are objectified – and make no bones about it when you try to erase their existence, make sure no one can even see them, they are objectified, they become less than a person, and there is no problem in treating them as such. And when separation is extreme, the excitement even thinking about it becomes extreme. Not to mention what goes in in boys dorms because there are no girls available. This has been going on for years. My husband is 50 years old and he had incidents in his yeshiva HS dorm. I am not sure at all that the incidence is higher among the secular, especially grown man to child. I have friends who were attempted rape by so called frum men as long as 25 years ago, some of which the community knew about. When they reported it to the Agudah guess who was protected and who was not?
Talk to your children openly. Many chareidi children aren’t taught anything about sex until they are engaged!! An empowered child is much harder to vicitimize. My friends got away because they knew what was being tried.
Maybe there is so much because it is “legal” in the frum world.
If there are no consequences for a crime then technically that crime is not ‘illegal’. If people know they can get away with it or the worst that can happen is that they are sent away somewhere else to continue, as in the catholic church a few decades ago, then it will never stop.
Imagine if you could steal as much jewellery as you like, and if you get caught you take the jewellery with you and you can continue in another city, then how prevalent would that be?
Singling out chareidim is unfortunate and dishonest. We are people with a community like any other community. We have people with MS, cancer, autism, and even the inclination to rape children.
However, to me ONE victim is an “alarming rate”. Saying that it has “reached” such a rate implies that there is an acceptable number, or a number that is “not so bad”.
I see some people write that the problem in the secular community is worse than the chareidi community. I’m not so sure.
There are many animals who dress like us who commit these horrific acts knowing full-well that there will likely be no ramifications because victims will not go to the police. In the secular world, there is FEAR. Those who WANT to commit these acts are often deterred because there is a healthy fear of being caught and going to prison.
We all know what the problem is and we all know what the fix is. The Torah tells us how to deal with a rodef. We are in this situation because we ignore what H” told us to do. Period. We would not have a problem like this because the fear of being slaughtered in the street would prevent it.
Pedophilia (being attracted to children) is a disease. I have read that it affects as much as 5% of the male population in EVERY community. There is no reason to believe that the Chareidi community is any different. We are subject to the same mental and physical diseases as anyone else.
ACTS of pedophilia (molestation, rape, etc.) are probably MORE rampant among Chareidim because of the followng reasons (some have already been mentioned):
1. We refuse to belive that a “shomer mitzvos” would do such a thing.
2. We mistakenly think that it’s lashon hara to report these crimes.
3.. We mistakenly think that there’s an issur mesirah to report these crimes.
4. Our children are more obedient to adults than secular children are.
5. We have male-only yeshivos.
6. Given the high proportion of children in our community, there are relatively more opportunities.
7. Because of misguided notions of tznius, our children have not (yet) been educated as to what “wrongful touching” is.
I know that it’s painful to fact up to these facts But we have to, or else the problem will continue.
For those of you who think this is a biased report and it’s exaggerated, you should know that Yishai Shalif is frum as can be. He learned in Be’er Yaakov and is a true Yirei Shomayim. He can be trusted.
As a chasidesh Brooklyn girl who was molested, I can speak from perosonal experience. My molester was a close family friend who lived with us for a couple of months. I was 10 years old & 1 night he came to my room & molested me & on 3 other times. I didn’t tell my parents because I didn’t know what to tell, that he acted “piggish”? I didnt know how to put it into words & I was embarrassed that I allowed it to happen. Did it destroy my life? I did loose my faith, in people, adults, rabbunim…. Today speaking with other adults who were molested or abused, I’m amazed how many there are. Do we have a larger percent than the non frum world? I don’t know and I don’t care. My kids were taught from 2 years old about good touches & bad touches & as they got older they were better informed so that no one can take advantage of their innocents. I’m am very thankful that finally it is being talked about in public.