Royal commission Jewish child abuse focus
Seven News / AAP
28 January 2015
Allegations of witness intimidation in Melbourne's Jewish community highlight the need for the child abuse royal commission to investigate, a victim says.
Fairfax Media reports a lawyer was recorded allegedly telling a victim of St Kilda Yeshivah centre sex offender David Cyprys they should not have co-operated with police.
Manny Waks, founder of Jewish victims' support group Tzedek, says witness intimidation has traditionally come from within Melbourne's orthodox Jewish community.
"As I understand it, (the lawyer) is not part of that community so these allegations against him are somewhat surprising. Certainly frightening to be honest with you," Mr Waks told ABC radio on Wednesday.
The royal commission will hold hearings in Melbourne on Monday into allegations of child abuse at the Yeshivah Centre and Yeshivah College.
Mr Waks said it was the Jewish community's turn under the microscope before the royal commission.
"It's with a heavy heart that I am involved in this process as I would much rather not drag these institutions kicking and screaming to own up to what they have done," he said.
Originally published at Seven News.