AUSTRALIA
The Jerusalem Post
Stricter oversight is required at ritual baths, known in Hebrew as tmikvaot, in order to prevent child molestation, according to one Australian Jewish organization. Tzedek, which advocates for members of the Jewish community who have been sexually abused, issued a set of recommended guidelines on Tuesday which it hopes will find widespread acceptance and which would overhaul the manner in which such religious facilities are managed.
Tzedek and its founder Manny Waks, himself a former victim, have been embroiled in a number of high profile disputes with orthodox educational institutions accused of covering up past abuses and protecting the guilty parties.
In a PDF document available in both English and Hebrew, Tzedek recommended that youths attending the mikve should be accompanied by their fathers or a designated supervisor, that “alleged or convicted perpetrators” not be allowed within the facility while children are present and defining procedures for the admittance of children so that “their whereabouts are always known.”
At least two adult monitors should be present and within line of sight of children during their visit, there should be no “unrestricted hours” of operation and no “opportunity for concealment,” the document further recommended.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.