Religion
Related: About this forumFor Ultra-Orthodox in Abuse Cases, Prosecutor Has Different Rules
An influential rabbi came last summer to the Brooklyn district attorney, Charles J. Hynes, with a message: his ultra-Orthodox advocacy group was instructing adherent Jews that they could report allegations of child sexual abuse to district attorneys or the police only if a rabbi first determined that the suspicions were credible.
The pronouncement was a blunt challenge to Mr. Hyness authority. But the district attorney expressed no opposition or objection, the rabbi, Chaim Dovid Zweibel, recalled.
In fact, when Mr. Hynes held a Hanukkah party at his office in December, he invited many ultra-Orthodox rabbis affiliated with the advocacy group, Agudath Israel of America. He even chose Rabbi Zweibel, the groups executive vice president, as keynote speaker at the party.
Mr. Hynes has won election six times as district attorney thanks in part to support from ultra-Orthodox rabbis, who lead growing communities in neighborhoods like Borough Park and Crown Heights. But in recent years, as allegations of child sexual abuse have shaken the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, victims rights groups have expressed concern that he is not vigorously pursuing these cases because of his deep ties to the rabbis.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/11/nyregion/for-ultra-orthodox-in-child-sex-abuse-cases-prosecutor-has-different-rules.html
pnwmom
(108,955 posts)get the red out
(13,460 posts)That happens a lot in this country, with various sects.
daaron
(763 posts)All our Constitutional rights are important - maybe some more important than others (the 1st vs. 2nd amendments spring to mind), but all important.
Including equal protection under the law.
This story is a counter-example of that fundamental right.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)why the fuck are these rabbis allowed to do this? The only reasonable response from the district attorney is threatening any rabbi that is aware of alleged abuse being charged in hindering prosecution and/or conspiracy to continue a crime.