Abuse victim suing Yeshivah Centre
A child sexual abuse victim of Rabbi David Kramer has gone public for the first time, claiming his negotiations with Yeshivah Centre have hit a roadblock.
A CHILD sexual abuse victim of Rabbi David Kramer has gone public for the first time, claiming his negotiations with Yeshivah Centre for compensation have hit a roadblock.
Shimon Walles, who was sexually abused by Kramer when he was a Yeshivah student in 1990, spoke to police for the first time in 2008.
In 2013, Kramer pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting Walles among others, and received a jail sentence.
“When Kramer was convicted I was more traumatised by the re-victimisation,” Walles exclusively told The AJN this week, referring to his treatment by some members of the Yeshivah community.
“At the time, the retribution was so bad that I couldn’t live in Australia.
“I was just trying to move on with my life and at the time I never thought of civil action.”
According to Walles, when he returned to Australia in 2014 the victimisation and intimidation continued.
He said he felt like he was being driven out of the country ahead of the Royal Commission. He then contacted Yeshivah for the first time to seek compensation through mediation.
He claimed that over the course of two years Yeshivah failed to adequately respond, and that earlier this year his lawyer told him to start proceedings in court.
“I told my lawyer that I want to keep things civil with Yeshivah, and instead of going to court to write them another letter and try and go to mediation again.
“I wasn’t looking for a war with Yeshivah, I just wanted to be peaceful.”
But last week, after another round of negotiations with Yeshivah, Walles finally gave up and decided to take legal action.
“I’m very frustrated and unfortunately it has come to this, but if they can’t wake up after everything that has happened what choice do I have?
“I am now ready to start exposing it for what it is.”
Walles said that deciding to publicly reveal himself as a victim was difficult, but made easier given his treatment by the community.
“I know they speak about me behind my back and do terrible things behind my back, so at this point in time what do I have to lose?”
In a statement to The AJN the Yeshivah’s management said that ensuring that survivors of child sexual abuse are treated with respect and dignity has the highest priority.
“Measures have been put in place through education and training to try to ensure that survivors are treated with sensitivity and compassion,” the statement said.
“In recognition of past abuse, the centre also established a redress scheme offering redress including monetary payments and access to counselling which is available to survivors in a respectful confidential manner outside the legal framework.
“The centre takes all such claims seriously but is understandably not in a position to make public comment in relation to a particular claim or individual making a claim.”
JOSHUA LEVI
comments