We don't need new rules to prevent sexual abuse by therapists. We need people to actually enforce the old ones.
How does a chassidic community allow someone to continue "helping people" (or whatever euphemism they use to hide the fact that it is indeed therapy) after they are caught repeatedly committing yichud?
The problem isn't with Judaism, it's with people who confuse uniform with substance. People who think someone who dresses the part must be a good Jew to the point that they blind themselves to the actions. Too much attention to form over substance is killing our religious lives. (Notice the bar mitzvah boy who is more excited about his hat than his tefillin. This is a common malady in Lakewood's seventh and eighth grades.) It's literally creating victims, too.
To the owner of this blog, Why do you think we are seeing so many cases of abuse in our community. I don't remember growing up hearing even one case of abuse, now we here it almost on a daily basis. When did you ever hear a Rov was suspected of such terrible crimes? What has caused this?
1- Don't confuse report rate with incidence rate. People are more willing to discuss sexual matters in public, so less of this filth is hidden from sight. I don't know if that means there actually is more filth, or not. In fact, higher report rates means that at least in these cases, the criminals were eventually stopped.
2- If there is, a possible explanation rests in what I wrote above: "The problem isn't with Judaism, it's with people who confuse uniform with substance. ... Too much attention to form over substance is killing our religious lives. ... It's literally creating victims, too."
Also not the blog owner, but it would be foolish to believe that this is a brand new phenomenon. In fact, up in Canada where there is no statute of limitations for this kind of thing, there are two new cases that will be eventually before the courts for charges that originate in the 1970's.
I think people are more savvy now, and kids are more aware, through education at home and maybe even in school, that certain activities and feelings are not good. Many parents now are more likely to believe their kids than would be the case 40 years ago.
Life was simpler then, much more fast-paced and complicated now. But there were still evil people around then.
And don't forget the internet, for better or worse. While many of these abusers get inspiration from the internet, or at the very least "fuel", there is also a lot more information flow on sites like these and other blogs that have forced some of these rats into the sunlight.
We don't need new rules to prevent sexual abuse by therapists. We need people to actually enforce the old ones.
ReplyDeleteHow does a chassidic community allow someone to continue "helping people" (or whatever euphemism they use to hide the fact that it is indeed therapy) after they are caught repeatedly committing yichud?
The problem isn't with Judaism, it's with people who confuse uniform with substance. People who think someone who dresses the part must be a good Jew to the point that they blind themselves to the actions. Too much attention to form over substance is killing our religious lives. (Notice the bar mitzvah boy who is more excited about his hat than his tefillin. This is a common malady in Lakewood's seventh and eighth grades.) It's literally creating victims, too.
His lawyer said "No holds bar" (!?!?) "Everything is going to come out" (!??!) That doesn't sound to good for his side!!
ReplyDeleteTo the owner of this blog,
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think we are seeing so many cases of abuse in our community. I don't remember growing up hearing even one case of abuse, now we here it almost on a daily basis. When did you ever hear a Rov was suspected of such terrible crimes? What has caused this?
I'm not the owner but:
Delete1- Don't confuse report rate with incidence rate. People are more willing to discuss sexual matters in public, so less of this filth is hidden from sight. I don't know if that means there actually is more filth, or not. In fact, higher report rates means that at least in these cases, the criminals were eventually stopped.
2- If there is, a possible explanation rests in what I wrote above: "The problem isn't with Judaism, it's with people who confuse uniform with substance. ... Too much attention to form over substance is killing our religious lives. ... It's literally creating victims, too."
Also not the blog owner, but it would be foolish to believe that this is a brand new phenomenon. In fact, up in Canada where there is no statute of limitations for this kind of thing, there are two new cases that will be eventually before the courts for charges that originate in the 1970's.
ReplyDeleteI think people are more savvy now, and kids are more aware, through education at home and maybe even in school, that certain activities and feelings are not good. Many parents now are more likely to believe their kids than would be the case 40 years ago.
Life was simpler then, much more fast-paced and complicated now. But there were still evil people around then.
And don't forget the internet, for better or worse. While many of these abusers get inspiration from the internet, or at the very least "fuel", there is also a lot more information flow on sites like these and other blogs that have forced some of these rats into the sunlight.
Sam I agree with the views expressed her by Wheel Reinventor and Dave
ReplyDelete