Former student ‘suicidal’ after alleged abuse at Adass
A WOMAN suing the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel School in Melbourne today gave graphic evidence to the Supreme Court of Victoria about how former principal Malka Leifer allegedly made physical sexual assaults on her.
She said the abuse resulted in “nightmares and anxiety and flashbacks” that have marred her life.
The former Adass pupil has launched a lawsuit against the school and against Leifer, who is under house arrest in Israel and facing extradition to Australia to face criminal charges.
Questioned by barrister Dyson Hore-Lacy SC today on the second day of the trial under Justice John Rush, she said she received psychological counselling for feeling “suicidal”.
She said she had issues breastfeeding her baby due to traumatic sexual assaults she alleged Leifer had inflicted on her. A photograph of the woman’s arm showing scarring from self-harm was tendered as evidence.
The plaintiff said the alleged sex abuse, in Year 12 of her studies at the girls’ school, ruined her prospects of becoming a child psychologist, her career choice, and she was now on anti-depressants and working several hours a week as a personal carer.
She said when she tried to get financial assistance from Adass to cover counselling fees, the school had refused.
A sister of the woman, also claiming she was sexually assaulted by Leifer, gave evidence today. She said she discovered Leifer and the plaintiff alone in a school room, “flustered, dishevelled”.
Another sister said Leifer had “favourites” among the pupils and took children to her office and home on the pretext of private tuition.
She told the court that during a school camp, she, Leifer and the plaintiff shared a bedroom. Leifer and the plaintiff shared a double bed and she saw Leifer make sexual advances to the plaintiff in bed.
She said that when she was contacted by a psychologist in Israel, where the plaintiff lived for a while, she confirmed the allegations her sister made during counselling, and soon after, Leifer was “begging” her not to say anything.
Leifer then vanished and turned up in Israel.
The court this heard week Leifer was hastily spirited out of the country to Israel by the school’s board.
The trial continues.
Peter Kohn
comments