There are currently two articles in Ha’aretz dealing with the issue of sexual harassment in the Charedi world in Israel. In one article, it is a question of communication.
From the article:
The Trade, Industry and Labor Ministry started a radio advertising campaign last week, calling on men and women to complain about sexual harassment in the workplace.
When the Government Advertising Bureau asked the ultra-Orthodox radio station, Radio Kol Hai, to run the ads, it realized there was a problem. It seems that the station, which caters almost exclusively to the devout ultra-Orthodox population, does not use the word 'sexual.'
It also does not broadcast terms such as 'rape' or 'breast cancer,' so as not to offend its ultra-Orthodox listeners.
I’ve discussed the foolishness of refusing to use the word ‘breast’ when discussing a serious illness, in the past. The degree to which some in the Charedi community defines ‘Lashon Naki’ goes too far. It makes it more difficult understand and deal with this issue when one has to interpret every euphemism used to replace the actual word.
And this is no different when discussing sexual harassment. If the public is going to deal with this issue successfully, at the very minimum, the message dealing with it ought to be conveyed as clearly as possible. The extreme level of Lashan Naki should be trumped by the seriiusness of the issue. It is not that I am opposed to using euphemisms per se, although I personally do not see a problem saying the word ‘breast’ as long as it is not in the context of Nivul Peh. But I understand that some people have a heightened sensitivity to it using such words.
When it comes to health issues, however, whether it is physical health or mental health, it is ludicrous to use a euphemism which makes potentially lifesaving information more difficult to understand… even though it may be ultimately understood.
But as the article said, the main thing is the message be conveyed and in the final analysis it is undserstood. But still… in my view any and all obstacles to getting lifesaving information out to the public should be as free of impediments as possible
The second article is far more troubling than the first. And it seems goes hand in hand with the study done on sexual abuse in Orthodox women.
From the article:
The National Council for the Child reports a steep rise in recent weeks in the number of requests for help from child sexual assault victims and their parents. Council head Yitzhak Kadman found that 30 percent of the new requests came from the ultra-Orthodox community, which had previously almost never contacted the organization about sexual assault.
And here is another surprise:
Kadman sees the awakening of the Haredi sector as a real "breach of barriers." Contrary to expectation, the Haredim who apply for help do not want a Haredi volunteer to assist them, nor do they care whether the volunteer is a man or woman, Kadman said.
Does it really matter whether we are talking about sexual abuse of women or sexual abuse of children? One can quibble about the differences between the two. And they are different. The sexual desires acted upon by the perpetrators are different and therefore so are the victims. But I submit that sex abuse is sex abuse. And it exists among us greater numbers than anyone dared to think.
Does this not at least begin to raise questions in the mind of those who so quickly reject studies that indicate higher numbers of sex abuse in the Torah world? ...or that Charedim are more immune to it than anyone else? I think it should.
Finally, I wonder why those who apply for help after experiencing sexual abuse seek non Charedi volunteers. Could it be that they feel that because their community is so unwilling to even mention the word sex that they feel there is no one to talk to?
