Sometimes concepts hit me with such clarity. I was struck with an epiphany last night and wanted to share it with you.
This could have been obvious to the entire world except for me until now, or not.
I have heard countless times that lots of people who are "At Risk" or are "Off the Derech" are also victims of sexual abuse.
That there is a correlation seemed clear to me, but I wasn't quite sure as to why this particular phenomena of sexual abuse leads people off, why teens feel the need to leave the community.
In an act of molestation, there is the abuser and the victim. The abuser is usually from the community, family structure.
The victim turns to those closest to him for protection. In most cases, either because of fear of reputation, or simply a lack of knowledge, the community does not condemn the abuser in a public way. Rarely does the abuser get reported to secular authorities.
The victim feels that the community protected the abuser over the victim. The entire community becomes one large abuser to the victim. And the victim is left with no choice but to leave the community. To find a new haven, where he will be protected.
As Rabbi Blau once put it: "It is time the Orthodox Community starts protecting its children before its reputation."
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, principal of a large Yeshiva in Monsey NY, Darchei Noam, said that he never met a person who was seriously involved with drugs who hadn't been sexually abused.
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, principal of a large Yeshiva in Monsey NY, Darchei Noam, said that he never met a person who was seriously involved with drugs who hadn't been sexually abused.
