[RBS] Please Protect Your Children From Predators

[Shay Adler]

 Please, RBS List, I can see this email getting* returned to sender*.
Please find it in your hearts to relay this post to the families of RBS.
You can take part in saving even one neshama.

Being part of the religious community becomes the hardest thing for me when
it comes to molestation. Many frum people even gasp at the
aforementioned word. Many others deny its existence. As a mother of small
children, I feel as if it is my duty to make people more aware of this
present problem. Yes, I know that I will get many emails stating that this
problem has existed since way back in biblical times, and that it exists
amongst every religion. I am aware of that. However, the issue amongst
chareidim is the "hush" reaction that follows the occurrence.

I am not doing this for the parents. I am doing this for the children. They
are the future of klal yisroel and that is a good enough reason for me to
send this email, and it should be for you too. I find it painful to know
that these stories are happening constantly to children and many are not
warned about it. I spent tonight with a police officer who is very involved
and he told me that it is a bad situation here in RBS. He said that
everyone is so busy worrying about shidduchim and lashon hara and so many
children are getting hurt. Just today another child was molested in the
park between Katlav and Micha.

Being in contact with Magen, I was told that there are over FORTY known
child molesters in RBS and they are walking the streets freely. Not only do
we not know they exist, we do not even know that they are spending time
with our children. For the few of us that warn our children of staying far
from strangers, these are people that look like the rest of us and are part
of our shuls and families.

Sadly, Magen can not release the information of these people. I understand
why they have not done so, but I do not understand why we are not talking
about this amongst ourselves. How can we make our children more aware. How
can we prevent these stories from happening, because they are happening, if
we are constantly hushing these stories. The molester's pictures should be
up and their locations should be known. They should not feel free to roam
the streets.

Because while you are worrying about saying lashon hara and ruining a
molester's reputation in shuls, they are touching YOUR children
inappropriately. You think these things happen to other people always and
not your own, but sadly you are more than wrong. Majority of children don't
even tell their parents.

There was just a child that was molested behind the matnas right before
Purim. I don't know all the details and I apologize in advance to the
parents of this child for any false information. I am not here for
journalism purposes and I don't have all the correct details. I am just
writing this to make parents aware that these things are happening HERE. I
watch small boys and girls walk alone to and from school every day. Small
little innocent children who see the good in everybody. There is no one
watching them. You can try that excuse that Hashem is watching them, and He
is, but that doesn't mean you can just drop your babies in the road and see
if they will be safe from crashing cars.

This child was pulled over to the side, even while other children were
around and he was told by a bearded individual that he should come with him
to the side and that it was okay because he was friends with the boy's
father. As children, we are trusting, especially when someone looks
religious. I am not blaming the parents, G-d forbid, because I know we
can't always be there for our children and I know that it is not always in
our control. Things happen right in front of our noses and I know this
first-hand. But when we can prevent it, we should.

This mother obviously did well with her child. She found out what happen
and that is way more than many others do. Make a good connection with your
children and pray that they come to you if G-d forbid anything happens. And
pray even harder that nothing should happen to them. Make it clear to them
that it is never their fault and that there are bad people out there. There
is a lot of awareness and things that should be taught to children and
parents. You can get booklets from magen and read it up on websites.

I am not here to teach you what to do. Find something that works for your
family. Walk your children to school if you can, if not make them walk in
groups and teach them safety and red flag warnings they should look out for.

Stop hushing what is so present in our neighborhood right now. Little
children are getting molested and raped. We should not be hushing things
like this. You don't want names and pictures because you are too religious
for that kind of "lashon hara", I am not giving you them. I am telling you
a concept. Our little tiny, helpless babies are getting hurt. Many of them
repeatedly.

We are ignoring something that is so important for our future. *They* are
the future, don't let this go by without some sort of change.

Contact Magen for any other information or if you need any help

"Magen" - Creating a Safer Community for Kids
MagenProtects at gmail.com

Hotline: 052-765.2929
Sunday thru Thursday - 9am-12am; 8-11pm
Fridays - 9am-12am
Motsei Shabbat - till Midnight

Administrative & Non-Urgent Matters
02-9997026
050-8489001

This website is also very informative and has names of the convicted
predators.
http://www.besheket.com/index.htm
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