Every adult is responsible to keep children safe

The Writing Is On The Wall

Girls just wanna have fun!

Video footage from Rally in Williamsburg on May 16, 2012

Here's one solution of how to end child sexual abuse

Protest Rally in Williamsburg (May 16, 2012)

Photographs by Motie Weiss and Tim Walsh Music by The Carpenters - "Bless the Beast and the Children"

Community members protest fundraiser for alleged serial child molester
By Vicki Polin

Examiner - May 17, 2012 

Recently, self proclaimed psychotherapist, Nechemya Weberman of Williamsburg, NY was charged with molesting one of his clients since she was twelve-years-old .

In an attempt to help this well liked neighbor, members in the Satmar community organized a fundraiser to help cover Weberman’s legal expenses.

A few hours after signs were posted throughout the community advertising the Weberman fundraiser, supporters of the alleged victim were outraged and organized a historic protest rally.  Several individuals stated that Nechemya Weberman, was “a serial sexual predator and that this girl was not his first or only victim”.

View slideshow: Protest Against Weberman Fundraiser

According to the New York Daily News, there were over a hundred activists facing off against thousands of supporters of Weberman.  The protesters were made up of adult survivors of sexual abuse, family members and friends -- all coming together in hopes of having their voices heard and educating the community many had been raised in.

 According to Motie Weiss, one of the organizers of the protest rally -- as group members were unpacking their signs, an unidentified man came charging at them.  The police jumped into action and immediately made an arrest.  According to other reports there was at least one other arrest made.

Another rally goer stated that as he was walking to his car after the rally that all of a sudden he was surrounded by members of the Satmar community.  He started fearing for his safety, when police officers came over and broke up the crowd.

Motie Weiss - Protect Victims NOT Abusers

Motie Weiss shared that the protesters main message was to “Protect Victims and NOT those who offend children”.  During the rally members of his group chanted several messages including: “A mikvah is not a playground” and “Our children are not toys’.  There was also chanting in yiddish geared towards kids in hopes of educating the community, telling children to  “ask your father what a molester is?”

A few rally goers stated that as the night progressed the hasidic crowd energy turned into anger and there was a definite fear that violence might errupt, yet there was a good police presence in hopes of protecting the protesters.

It was also reported that at one point hateful signs were pulled out by members of the Satmar community against long time victim activist, Rabbi Nochem Rosenberg, who back in 2008 was shot after refusing to stop his hotline dedicated to educating the yiddish speaking community about sexual abuse.

Tim Walsh, a survivor of clergy sexual abuse by a priest, shared that he came to the rally to be supportive to all survivors and to protect children of all faiths and ethnicity's.  Mr. Walsh shared that as he was walking to his car to leave, he was surrounded by community members in what appears to be an intimidation attempt.  When he confronted the spokesperson of the group and asked if he “was trying to bully him”, the other members laughed and dispersed.

Don't let another child be lost in the maze!

Speaking Out Against Sexual Abuse and Enablers of Offenders

Stats on Juvenile Sex Offenders - Children Molesting Other Children

Up to 50 percent of those who sexually abuse children are under the age of 18.

(Hunter, J.A., Figueredo, A., Malamuth, N.M., & Becker, J.V. (2003). Juvenile sex offenders: Toward the Development of a typology. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, (2003) Volume 15, No. 1).

20 to 50% of adolescents who have sexually abused children were themselves victims of physical abuseⁱ and approximately 40 to 80% were victims of sexual abuse.
(Hunter, J. and Becker, J., "Motivators of Adolescent Sex Offenders and Treatment Perspectives," in J. Shaw (Ed.), Sexual Aggression, American Psychiatric Press, Inc. (Washington, DC, 1998).

Incest is the most common form of child sexual abuse

47% percent of all cases of child molestation involve family or extended family members as the sex offenders.  (Briere, J., Eliot, D.M. Prevalence and Psychological Sequence of Self-Reported Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse in General Population: Child Abuse and Neglect, 2003, 27 10.)

 

85% of the time children are abused by someone they know.  (Oesterreich, L. & Shirer, K. Sexual Abuse of Children, 2001).

Statistics: Sex offenders who are held accountable for sexual abuse have a lower recidivism rate

Statistically, individuals who are sex offenders who are held accountable for sexual abuse have a lower recidivism rate than people convicted of other major offenses. Even without treatment, recidivism rates for those convicted of sexually abusing a child are estimated to be about 15-20%. With treatment, many studies show an additional reduction in recidivism by as much as a third, to as low as 12%.


(Hanson, R.K., Gordon, A., Harris, A. J. R., Marques, J.K., Murphy, W., Quinsey, V.L., & Seto, M. C. (2002). First report of the Collaborative Outcome Data Project on the effectiveness of psychological treatment for sexual offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 14 (2), 169-194)

Possible case of Jason Saver (Baltimore, MD)

There is an group of survivors in Baltimore that has a history of posting signs just like this to warn community members of alleged offenders.  Several years ago they posted information like the information provided below regarding allegations regarding rabbi Yisroel Shapiro several years prior to his arrest and prosecution.  At the time community leaders responded just as they are with Jason Saver.

If anyone is a suspect of child molestation all calls should be directed to either child protective services or the police.  Shomrim should NOT be a part of the equation.  The following flyer was placed in several different orthodox synagogues in Baltimore without permission of Shomrim.

Background information on Jason Saver:
Where, What When

"Baltimorean Jason Saver’s work in New Orleans has yet to begin. Commissioned as a major in the Maryland Defense Force by General Smalkin, as a Jewish chaplain, he awaits his deployment date to the Gulf States area. The third generation soldier, and male nurse, received a donation of kosher food from the Jewish Soldier Foundation. He will be doing crisis intervention for Katrina’s and Rita’s victims and emergency responders.

I didn’t have to respond to the deployment,” said Major Saver, “but I feel it is important. As a pastoral counselor, I will be helping people cope with post-traumatic-stress disorder.”

Major Saver is willing to do whatever is necessary to help out the hurricanes’ victims, even if it means staying over Yom Tov. “It’s not just a mitzva or a chesed. It’s a kiddush Hashem (sanctification of G-d’s name). When a tragedy happens and people respond, we are emulating Hakadosh Baruch Hu (G-d).”

Begin forwarded message:

From: Azi Rosenblum <arosenblum@remsource.com>
Date: May 11, 2012 3:42:26 PM EDT
To: "all@shomrim.net" <all@shomrim.net>
Subject: FW: The Information on this Flyer put in all the Shuls This Morning Is Totally False!!!!

Hey old friends, anyone got any info on this? Its got the hotline # on it.

Azi Rosenblum

office- 410.504.6720
mobile- 443-854-2172
arosenblum@RemSource.com
www.RemSource.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Goldsmith, Isser [mailto:Isser.Goldsmith@baltimorecity.gov]
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2012 3:40 PM
To: Goldsmith, Isser
Subject: The Information on this Flyer put in all the Shuls This Morning Is Totally False!!!!
Importance: High

Rabbosi,

Numerous copies of the attached disturbing flyer were put in all the shuls this morning. I have very reliable information from a few sources that all the information on this flyer is totally false. Obviously, someone has a personal vendetta against Mr. Saver and is out to get him.

This poor guy's reputation must be restored because of these false allegations and I am alerting the rabbim to this fact.

Have a Good Shabbos.

Isser
----------------------------------------------
Isser Goldsmith
Accounting Systems Analyst II
Baltimore City Department of Finance
Bureau of Accounting & Payroll Services
401 E. Fayette St. - 5th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 396-1880
Fax (410) 396-3770
E-mail: Isser.Goldsmith@baltimorecity.gov

Seating for Internet Morals - Call of the Godolei Yisroel

Dr. Michael J. Salamon on Mandated Reporting

Question Agudath Israel of America!

Fundamentalism and Sexual Abuse

Stats on cases of molestation and shunning

Why are ultra orthodox Jews shunning their own?

Ultra-Orthodox Jews Shun Their Own Reporting Child Sexual Abuse

School censorship or the internet - Lev Bais Yaakov School

Shouldn't this be up to parents and not schools?

How do you feel about your child's school dictating that your kids can't use the internet?  This is happening in NY, Chicago, Baltimore, LA and elsewhere.

On May 20 2012 a group Orthodox rabbis to discuss the dangers of the internet.  Who's discussing the dangers of these orthodox rabbis? (See below)

School Censorship Against the Internet

Stadium Seating for Internet Morals

By SOPHIA HOLLANDER

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304070304577396500381087604.html


A group of ultra-Orthodox Jews have rented out Citi Field for a meeting later this month intended to draw thousands of men to discuss the dangers of the Internet and formulate a communitywide response.

The event, set for May 20, has been publicized internationally within the Orthodox Jewish press and tapped into a world-wide debate over how to reconcile modern life with the Internet's perceived moral dangers.

It is a concern that transcends the Orthodox community, organizers note.

"We're hoping to come together as a unified community to address a challenge that in the last number of years has begun dawning not just on our community and the larger Jewish community but society as a whole," said Eytan Kobre, 52 years old, a spokesman for the event who is also the North American editor for an Orthodox magazine, Mispacha.

"Hopefully we'll fill the role that the Jewish people have tried to fill from time memorial, which is serving as a beacon to the world and as a force for the transformation of the good in society," he said, adding that the event has already had sold out the 42,000-seat stadium.

But the meeting, which some published reports have estimated will cost nearly $2 million, has drawn a series of sharp attacks—for its men-only policy, for instance, and for its cost, criticized as extravagant at a time when many families are struggling.

The Hasidic rabbis wanted women to attend, but "logistics did not permit for it," said Mr. Kobre, noting that in this community "a religious gathering of this nature is gender-separated."

A live video-feed will be streamed to six locations around the metropolitan area for women to watch, he said.

Other critics say the event is a smokescreen for religious leaders seeking to consolidate control over their congregations by limiting access to outside information.

A counterprotest—dubbed "The Internet Is Not the Problem" and expected to draw hundreds—is scheduled for across the street from the stadium event. It accuses Jewish leadership of scapegoating the Internet while avoiding a more pressing problem: child abuse.

"You can spend all the time and money protesting the Internet and you can't get worked up about child molestation?" said Ari Mandel, who said he left the ultra-Orthodox community about six years ago, joined the Army and recently returned to civilian life.

Mr. Mandel, 29 years old, organized the counterprotest after learning last week that a young family member had been molested. "We were outraged," he said. He is mobilizing supporters through a website and Facebook page for the protest.

Organizers said they were disappointed to learn of the counterprotest.

"Whether it's a legitimate issue or not, and I'm willing to posit that it is a legitimate issue, are they really going to make progress on it by holding a counterrally?" Mr. Kobre said. "It seems like a cheap political circus. It's sad. It's unfortunate."

Organizers stressed that the intent of the Citi Field event wasn't to ban the Internet but to promote its responsible use. Speakers will be recommending that all Orthodox families install filters on their computers, and block out all social-media sites including Facebook and Twitter, said Mr. Kobre.

He cited recent reports in mainstream newspapers and magazines depicting families of all faiths grappling with the issue, particularly how to speak to children about Internet pornography. "I expect that any member of society in good standing would be pained by that sort of thing," he said.

Still, he acknowledged that Orthodox standards could well exceed secular ones: He included People Magazine as an example of a website for recommended filtering.

The event at Citi Field isn't the first time the ultra-Orthodox community has grappled with the Internet.

Earlier attempts by Orthodox religious leaders to ban the Internet in congregants' households have largely failed, many said. But efforts to restrict it continue, including contracts at some religious schools requiring parents to promise that their children won't be allowed Internet access, under threat of expulsion.

Accusations have surfaced that some schools are requiring male students and their fathers to purchase the $10 tickets and attend the Citi Field event.

"That's kind of coercive," said Dr. Michael Salamon, an Orthodox psychologist on Long Island. "What we're getting is a lot of arm-twisting."

Akiva Marks, a 47-year-old software designer who moved to Israel from New Jersey several years ago, said he considers himself ultra-Orthodox and wasn't unaware of the dangers posed by certain websites. He recalled helping his 8-year-old daughter with a research project on the presidency and typed in whitehouse.com instead of '.gov.'

"I quickly shut down the browser," he said.

But several years later when he was required to sign a school contract stating that his daughter would have no access to the Internet, "she thought it was ridiculous," he said.

He praised the goal of the conference but questioned whether it would be successful. "I think that it's become more and more indispensable to most peoples' daily lives," said

"The community needs to be educated and understand the things to avoid," he said. "But I think that those who are organizing it don't bring the right skills to do that and by trying to solve the problem without the right skills they'll alienate those who need a solution."

He noted that as a result of medical advances in recent years, the most respected Jewish scholars can live to be up to 90 years old. "We benefit greatly from maintaining their wisdom among us that much longer," he said. "But it's a little harder for them to analyze Internet issues."

"I think the fears are legitimate, absolutely," he said. "I just think the approach is wrong."

Mr. Kobre said that the organizers are technically savvy, though he did not know who would be speaking at the event.

Even accepting the meeting at face value, Dr. Salamon said he questioned whether blocking out content was the best solution.

"You don't deal with it by talking about pure filtering—you deal with it by teaching about how to deal with what may pop up, even with the best filters," he said.

"Pornography has always been out there; marital problems have always been out there," he continued. "They are not necessarily made worse by technology."

Some rabbis said they were initially skeptical of the event, but have become convinced of the organizers' good intentions.

"My position on it has evolved a lot," said Rabbi Eliyahu Fink, 30, who leads a congregation in Venice Beach, Calif., and runs a popular religious blog. Initially he worried that the Citi Field event would reprise earlier efforts to ban the Internet. But after speaking with organizers he became convinced that they were determined to teach people how to use the technology responsibly.

"I'm hopeful that this event will somehow make the Internet kosher for those who have always felt it's prohibited," said Mr. Fink.

Write to Sophia Hollander at sophia.hollander@wsj.com

Speaking out about child sexual abuse in the hasidic world

Accused child rapist fronts Magistrates Court

The Australian Jewish News - May 10, 2012
http://www.jewishnews.net.au/accused-child-rapist-fronts-magistrates-court/26065

National, News · Tagged: David Cyprys, Peter Kohn, Rabbi Avraham Glick, Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner, Timna Jacks, Yeshivah College

ACCUSED child molester David Samuel Cyprys was in the Melbourne Magistrates Court this week, charged with 53 offences, including six counts of rape, allegedly committed against 11 boys between 1984 and 1991.

Cyprys, who was employed at Yeshivah College, Melbourne, as a security guard, co-led a Jewish youth group and was a martial-arts instructor, is contesting the charges, which also include gross indecency, indecent assault and false imprisonment.

Police told the court that a number of complainants from Victoria, Brisbane and the United States, have come forward alleging they were molested by Cyprys.

“The accused was seen as a role model by members of the Jewish community, who trusted him in the company of their children,” a summary of charges stated.

In documents detailing charges against Cyprys, the 12 alleged victims, aged between seven and 17 at the time of the alleged offences, said they were assaulted at locations including a male mikveh, various homes in Elwood, Cyprys’s van, Yeshivah College, and the Gan Yisrael youth camps.

In a disturbing development, witness statements handed to the court gave a damning account of the handling of the alleged abuses by Yeshivah’s then director Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner.

The mother of one victim said that abuses against her son continued for three years after she initially reported them to Groner, who she said took no action.

The father of another victim was allegedly told by Groner that his son “wouldn’t need counselling because [he] was under eight years old”.

”Rabbi Groner told me he had spoken to psychologists before and they had told him because the children are so young, counselling would not be necessary. Since that day I never heard another word,” the boy’s father stated.

Another mother testified that when she mentioned Cyprys’s name to Rabbi Groner, “he replied, ‘Oh, no, I thought we cured him’. By this I was sure that Rabbi Groner meant this sort of thing had happened before with David Cyprys.”

Rabbi Avraham Glick, presently a teacher at Yeshivah College, and its principal between 1986 and 2007, stated in court documents he could not recall any child or parent complaining to him about Cyprys but added ”attitudes at the time were very different to current attitudes”. He said Rabbi Groner was the only person customarily approached about “these type of issues”.

A relative of one of the alleged victims said: “Recently I saw an article in the Australian Jewish News and the name was that I associated with the locksmith for sexually assaulting children/youth. I thought you bastard. You must be the one who interfered with [my relative].” (sic)

Magistrate Luisa Bazzani ordered that the names of witnesses giving testimony be suppressed and that their evidence be given in a closed  courtroom, off-limits to media.

She overruled an alleged victim, a former Yeshivah College pupil, who applied to have his name publicised and for proceedings to take place in an open court, with access by media.

Asked if the complainant was “willing” to be named, he said he was, in fact, “keen”.

“This is something I have been suppressing for many years and I am quite happy for it be out there. I have taken it upon myself to take a leadership role in this case and encourage people to seek justice,” he told the magistrate.

But explaining her decision, Bazzani said that in six years as a magistrate, she had never before received an application from an alleged victim requesting their name be publicised and rejected it “for excellent policy reasons”.

Bazzani said publicising the victim’s name and allowing “extremely delicate” testimony to be reported by the media, would actually discourage others to volunteer information, especially in a community as tight-knit as Yeshivah, as they would not necessarily be aware the  person had volunteered to be identified.

PETER KOHN AND TIMNA JACKS

David Cyprys (right)