March 23, 2008
Child sexual abuse, like ‘at risk’ social issues such as bullying or drug and alcohol abuse, requires, at the broadest community level, awareness-raising, training, education of community leaders, school administrators, teachers and, most importantly, the parents of our children. The schools cannot be expected to take on this responsibility on their own, and it would be negligent and arrogant on the part of the community at large to relinquish ownership and lay the burden exclusively upon ‘the schools’.
Tackling child abuse or any other abuse must be a community effort to end the secrecy and silence – a predator’s greatest tools. They rely on the discomfort this subject elicits and take advantage of misinformation and reluctance on the part of congregation leaders to act on disclosures. Those who discourage discussing abuse in any form, and forbid their followers, students, and/or congregants from bringing these issues out of the closets and into public eye are indeed accomplices to those who abuse and are in no small part responsible for the perpetuation of this atrocity as they are playing into the abusers hands. Abusers know what they do is wrong and go to great lengths to silence their victims and to keep what they are doing a secret. Silence allows them to pursue their sick desires with impunity.
If the wellbeing and protection of our children is truly our first priority and primary concern, then we must, on the broadest community level, continue to have this dialogue and encourage a collaborative approach with our schools, shul communities and youth groups. We must access the professionals to teach us how to best equip our children and other vulnerable members of our communities so that they don’t fall prey out of ignorance and fear.
Educational programs have been in progress since the beginning 2007 school year as a result of a Jewish Taskforce Against Family Violence (JTAFV) initiative that brought together administrative representatives from every Jewish school in Melbourne to learn from mainstream service providers how to access culturally and age specific programs for their schools. Just as we educate our children about road and water safety, we must teach children about good touch and bad touch, good secrets and bad secrets. Even very young children need to know the difference of what is and what is NOT okay.
A number of schools have already implemented protective behaviour programs at the primary school levels. And, as another JTAFV initiative, Healthy Relationships programs are schedule to be introduced at the High School levels, initially at two schools with the intention of implementing the programs in every Jewish school.
However, while schools build protective behaviour programs into the curriculum, it must be seen as supplementary to the guidance and direction that children should be receiving in their homes. Parents can educate themselves by attending workshops, internet research, or taking advantage of the many professional organisations that provide information, resources and training. And our community media, specifically The Australian Jewish News, should better support efforts to keep our community safe by encouraging and publishing more ‘educational’ articles to keep their readers informed, rather than wait for disturbing headline events to finally report on this critical issue.
Vicki Lopow
Educational Psychologist
Member JTAFV
Jerusalem Post - To Tell or Not to Tell