Women’s Crisis Center Received Reports of Sexual Abuse in Amona
On Tuesday evening, this email was received from Ellen Horowitz, one of the most honest and principled Journalists in Israel. As a public service, we are publishing it’s contents here. MB
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Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 17:08:46 +0200
Subject: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: RE: reports of sexual abuse in Amona
From: “Ellen W. Horowitz”
X-Virus-Scanned: amavisd-new at bezeqint.net
X-Antivirus: AVG for E-mail 7.1.375 [267.15.6/257]Reports of Sexual Abuse in Amona FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
There have been a number of rumors and reports circulating in the press and on the Internet regarding serious charges of sexual harassment and sexual abuse which took place in Amona. Many of the reports have been extremely graphic, and originate from less than credible sources. Because of the ongoing questions and concerns, I called the one organization in this country which has always handled such cases with the utmost care, sensitivity, and integrity.
I’ve just gotten off the phone with Debbie Gross, the Director of the Crisis Center for Religious Women.
Debbie confirmed that the center has received reports from girls of sexual harassment and sexual abuse which took place in Amona. In addition, The Crisis Center for Religious Women has been asked by certain schools in the religious community to meet with the students and to discuss the events at Amona.
The Crisis Center for Religious Women has been serving all sectors of the religious community throughout Israel for thirteen years. It is quite possibly the only organization in this country which enjoys remarkable coordination and cooperation with religiously observant victims of abuse and the hospitals, halachic authorities, the police, the press, social services departments, the Knesset, and the courts.
It also receives support, funding and grants from Diaspora organizations like UJC and various Federations.
Debbie specifically requested that I stress to all young women, who were present at Amona, that if they feel victimized, traumatized, or are going through an emotional crisis as a result of what they experienced, they should call the center’s 24 Hour Hotline at (02) 6730002 or 1 800 220 230.
Volunteers are available to assist the Hebrew, English, Russian and
Ethiopian – speaking communities.One of the center’s volunteers will handle the case with sensitivity and provide the assistance and anonymity required.
Hotline numbers:
(02) 6730002
1 800 220 230
email: ccrw@netvision.net.ilI have worked with the Crisis Center in the past, and can fully endorse their services and policies.
Ellen W. Horowitz
Hundreds of Educators Protest Police Brutality
MK Eldad: Police Complaints Division Beholden to Police Commanders, Unable to Carry out Justice
Full Text;
“MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) said Tuesday, in response to newspaper reports, that the claims of Land of Israel activists that the Division for the Investigation of Police Officers (Machash) cannot be relied upon have finally been proven.“
“‘Now it is finally clear that our claims that Machash whitewashes the investigations of officers are correct,’ MK Eldad said, since the advancement of Machash investigators depends upon their commanding officers in the police – the very ones which they are supposed to be investigating. There is no chance that a Machash investigation will deal fairly against those who carried out criminal acts in Amona. Therein lies the necessity for the establishment of an external commission of inquiry.”
Commentary;
There is no transparency, no objectivity when the investigators owe their jobs to the investigated, when they can be sacked if their findings are seen to implicate their supperiors.
This author is old enough to remember Watergate and how the first Special Prosecutor and was sacked by his boss, the President of the United States over the Watergate tapes. MB