UNITED KINGDOM
Jewish News
by Yehudis Goldsobel, Independent sexual violence adviser for the Jewish community
WE ARE currently marking Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week across the country and I’m spearheading a campaign to recognise our community is not immune from these horrendous crimes.
We must no longer allow abusers to hide among us and victims must know that they need not suffer in silence.
The whole community has to acknowledge that this has been the status quo for too long. Enough is enough.
Sexual abuse is a universal evil. No community is immune. I’m delighted that the United Synagogue has recognised that sexual abuse is occurring to men, women and children in our community every day. Prompted by Chief Rabbi Mirvis, the United Synagogue is now setting up a support network to encourage victims of these terrible crimes to report their abusers and seek help. It also recently delivered training to community leaders to help them recognise possible signs of abuse, particularly in children and the vulnerable, and teach them the steps that then need to be taken to protect the victims and report the abusers to the police and social services.
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