How does the media represent institutional child sexual abuse within Jewish communities? A case study of the Malka Leifer court case

Dados Bibliográficos

ID11228958
AutoresPhilip Mendes (0000-0002-2750-4140, Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia, autor correspondente), Marcia Pinskier (0000-0002-6390-538X, Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia), Susan Baidawi (0000-0003-4394-1313, Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia)
Ano2024
Volume59
Fascículo3
Páginas783-803
Data de publicação2024-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAustralian Journal of Social Issues (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0157-6321 • E-ISSN: 1839-4655
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajs4.317
OpenAlexW4391846634
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas21

Concerns about institutional child sexual abuse within Jewish communities have been documented in two recent national inquiries into child sexual abuse, in Australia, and England and Wales. Yet to date, there has been little analysis of how media reporting informs public awareness of these concerns, and potential programme and policy responses. This paper examines media reports of the high‐profile case of ultra‐orthodox Jewish school principal Malka Leifer who was found to have sexually abused several girls in her school in Melbourne, Australia. It draws on five Australian media publications (two specifically Jewish and three mainstream newspapers), from the initial committal hearing in September 2021 until the completion of her trial and conviction in July 2023. Our findings highlight the importance of child safety processes as being aligned with the specific religious and cultural context of faith‐based communities in order to be effective in preventing institutional child sexual abuse

Child sexual abuse · Criminology · Geography · Judaism · Poison control · Political science · Project commissioning · Publishing · Sexual abuse · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies · Law · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence