Reply To: Reporting Abusers

Reading through my earlier post, it occurs to me that I may have failed to fully explain myself, and therefore appear to contradict myself. Therefore, allow me to clarify.

As I very clearly said above, “there are those who wrongly kept silent”. My views on those who were aware of abuse and either actively or passively allowed it to continue are clear. They are wrong and complicit.

But the distinction I perhaps failed to clearly delineate was a more general picture. Unfortunately, in the course of the debate there are those who immediately blame those in authority, despite there often being no obvious reason to. For example, they insinuate or claim that abusers have the support or defence of the ‘Establishment’, be that community leaders or ch’vs rabbonim. That’s not to say that these instances never occur, just that the actions of a handful of individuals should not be presented, as it often is, as a societal problem. It is the problem of the abuser and those who aid the abuser. To unfairly tarnish and entire kehilla, organisation, or sect is wrong. And that is the point I was making.

WWe should not allow those with an imagined grievance against ‘chareidim’, frum yidden in general or specific organisations/kehillos to propogate unfounded allegations regarding complicity simply due to the actions of a few.