Abuse victims urge leaders of Yeshivah Centre to quit
The Australian
Katherine Towers
12 March 2015
ELEVEN victims of the child-sex abuse scandal that rocked Melbourne’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish community have called for a clean-out of the Yeshivah leadership, as well as staff and volunteers, warning cover-ups, intimidation and “unspeakable acts” would continue while they remained in power.
In an open letter to Yeshivah Centre management, the 11 claim some members of the leadership group are more concerned with protecting the reputation of the close-knit community following the evidence to the child sexual abuse royal commission than helping victims. “It seems to us that at least some of the Yeshivah leadership continue to place Yeshivah’s reputation well above any other consideration,” the victims say in the letter.
They claim the immediate resignation of all 20 members of the board of trustees and the committee of management, plus key staff and volunteers, is the only way to ensure the scandal is never repeated. “We strongly believe that the removal of yourselves, as well as key staff and volunteers from the Yeshivah Centre who have been implicated in any way in this ongoing scandal, is now required,” it says. “We believe that some of the major failures at Yeshivah seem to have been the result of failures by the leadership, rather than an express policy or process issue.
“Accordingly, it is essential for you all to step down immediately in recognition of these failures. We feel that so long as you remain in a position of authority or power at Yeshivah, the institution remains ... susceptible to repetition of these unspeakable acts in the future.”
During two weeks of evidence into the Yeshivah community in Melbourne and Sydney, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard of cover-ups, protection of perpetrators, and intimidation to witnesses and victims.
A spokesman for the Yeshiva Centre would not comment on the letter although it is expected to soon announce the appointment of an independent committee to oversee support to victims.
Originally published at The Australian.
In an open letter to Yeshivah Centre management, the 11 claim some members of the leadership group are more concerned with protecting the reputation of the close-knit community following the evidence to the child sexual abuse royal commission than helping victims. “It seems to us that at least some of the Yeshivah leadership continue to place Yeshivah’s reputation well above any other consideration,” the victims say in the letter.
They claim the immediate resignation of all 20 members of the board of trustees and the committee of management, plus key staff and volunteers, is the only way to ensure the scandal is never repeated. “We strongly believe that the removal of yourselves, as well as key staff and volunteers from the Yeshivah Centre who have been implicated in any way in this ongoing scandal, is now required,” it says. “We believe that some of the major failures at Yeshivah seem to have been the result of failures by the leadership, rather than an express policy or process issue.
“Accordingly, it is essential for you all to step down immediately in recognition of these failures. We feel that so long as you remain in a position of authority or power at Yeshivah, the institution remains ... susceptible to repetition of these unspeakable acts in the future.”
During two weeks of evidence into the Yeshivah community in Melbourne and Sydney, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard of cover-ups, protection of perpetrators, and intimidation to witnesses and victims.
A spokesman for the Yeshiva Centre would not comment on the letter although it is expected to soon announce the appointment of an independent committee to oversee support to victims.
Originally published at The Australian.