Sex Abuse Program Targets Ultra-Orthodox Jews

Print

Prosecutors, counselors and religious leaders on Wednesday announced a program to combat sexual abuse among members of the insular world of Brooklyn's ultra-Orthodox Jews _ a problem one lawmaker says extends beyond New York.

"I don't trust the DA to do the right thing. These people are corrupt. If he was sincere he would have done something 20 years ago," Fund said.
   
The program will focus on child sex abuse. It was established partly in response to a discussion on State Assemblyman Dov Hikind's radio show in the summer of 2008.
   
The show prompted dozens of listeners to come forward with stories of children being molested. Hikind has said that as many as four people a day over a three-month period last year approached him with accounts of secrets often kept for decades, allegations he shared with prosecutors.
   
He believes the problem extends beyond Brooklyn to other insular communities in other states.

More...