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Jewish Synagogue Sexual Abuse Lawyers in Pennsylvania
Rabbi abuse is a serious and under-reported problem in the U.S., especially in the case of child victims.
Nobody should have to live with sexual abuse. But when it happens within a place of worship like a synagogue, it is incredibly distasteful.
Perpetrators should be brought to account. Most importantly, victims should be helped to recover from their ordeal, regardless of how long ago it occurred.
Fortunately, in recent times, changes to the law have made it easier for victims of sexual abuse in many areas of the country to come forward and get justice for past crimes.
As lawyers who present such victims, Andreozzi + Foote is committed to providing a compassionate ear and a passionate pursuit of justice on your behalf.
Synagogue Sexual Abuse Cases
Children are far too often the victims in these cases.
This may also make it more difficult to prove.
A Rabbi is a learned leaders in the community, ordained because they have studied the Jewish texts and law in depth. They often teach and are heads of schools. They preside over legal cases. Rabbis are looked upon to protect the values of the Jewish community. Some lead prayers in synagogues and act as counselors to their congregations.
They are not considered capable of committing crimes by many in the community, least of all against children. Unfortunately, children’s words are often dismissed against the words of a respected leader.
The notion that “this sort of thing doesn’t happen here” is widespread within the Jewish community. Similar with other religious organizations involved in high-profile sexual abuse cases.
Recent studies and court cases have demonstrated that some rabbis have abused their position of trust and respect. Now, as more crimes come to light in public lawsuits, more people are waking up to the fact that sexual abuse has happened and does happen in synagogues.
Rabbi Sexual Abuse And An Increase In Reported Cases
A study in 2007 showed that 26 percent of Orthodox female study participants had experienced sexual abuse. These claims were most prevalent among ultra-Orthodox women.
In 2018, the Jerusalem Post reported on a study that showed that individuals who left the Orthodox Jewish community were more than four times as likely to have been molested as children than in the general population.
It also noted that those who left the community were more likely to report the abuse. Suggesting that there could be additional unreported cases within the community.
In 2019, a lawsuit was filed by 38 former students (teenage boys) of an Orthodox Jewish school in New York City, who claimed that they suffered sexual abuse from two prominent rabbis over three decades in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
What makes this case even worse is that the school in question was aware of the abuse and took no action. One of the rabbis in question was initially promoted before being moved to another Florida school.
This is a common occurrence in such cases, where the institution harbors sexual abuse rather than addressing the problem.
How Does Sexual Abuse By Rabbis Affect The Victims?
Every sexual abuse victim processes their experiences differently.
It is fair to say that almost all victims suffer negative personal consequences as a direct result of their abuse. Subsequently, many have carried the experiences with them for decades.
Sexual abuse alters victims lives in many ways. Adding the element of faith to the harm, the betrayl on the victim is significant.
Victims who come forward with sexual abuse claims against rabbis sometimes face further abuse from the Orthodox Jewish community. This can take the form of physical threats, harassment, bribes, ex-communication from the temple, and property damage.
Why Is No Action Taken Against Sexual Abuse Within The Community?
As noted, the Orthodox Jewish community is not alone in closing ranks when it perceives a threat. Minorities are accustomed to being treated as “outsiders,” and this can help to build a “siege mentality.”
So, it is an all-too-common occurrence that institutions in communities where people are accused of wrongdoing attempt to cover up the crime. They move the alleged perpetrator elsewhere so that it is no longer their problem.
This silence only serves to propagate such crimes and prolong the victims’ suffering.
Synagogues, school officials, and the community at large may take no action against accused sexual abusers because the individuals who are aware of the abuse may fear the repercussions of going to secular authorities. The standard approach in Orthodox Judaism is to go to the rabbi before the police.
Social stigma, potential loss of reputation, not knowing where to turn to, and the reluctance for Orthodox Jews to accuse other Orthodox Jews of crimes all play a role in keeping victims and the community silent, even when faced with the evidence.
These factors, alongside the ease of dismissing a child’s words against the words of a powerful community leader help to protect the perpetrators rather than the victims.
For Survivors Of Sexual Abuse In Jewish Synagogues
