Who loves #NewYork? – #SOL makes it a safe haven for #childsexabusers

Pass Child Victim's Act in New  York

I wrote on my post (FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2015) about the difficulty getting justice for children murdered and abused by priests and nuns in New York.  High level political figures are very friendly with the catholic church. Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of  New York (known for his cover-ups of pedophile priests), and several other high-ranking bishops socialize with Andrew Cuomo, Governor of  New York and other politicians at the Executive Mansion.  Cuomo said he “looks forward to continuing to work closely with them during his administration.”  

Basically, the State of New York belongs to the catholic church.  I know, and other victims of the catholic church know, how difficult it is to get justice for the crimes committed against us in New York. There is no separation of the catholic church and the state.  What’s true in NY is repeated all over the world. 

Tzedek tzedek tirdof, justice justice you shall pursue. (The Torah)

Rabbi Ari Hart, writing in the New York Daily News (5/1/16) knows it is time to stop the child abuse in NY and he is backed by more than 100 Jewish leaders. They have one voice: to declare their support for statute of limitations (SOL) reform for child abuse victims in New York State.

Rabbi Hart says, “After decades of denial, cover-ups and darkness, the light is finally shining on the scourge of child sexual abuse. Today, we better understand the high rate of its prevalence, the lasting and far-reaching damage caused by abusers, and the extreme difficulty survivors face in coming forward and seek justice. Tragically, New York State’s regressive laws prevent many victims from getting the justice they deserve and from stopping abusers from causing more harm.”

  

Rabbi Hart, like other advocates for abuse survivors knows that people in their 40s, 50s and 60s (or even older) are only now coming to grips with what happened to them as children, and only now able to come forward. New York law fails these victims by giving a victim only five years from the time they enter adulthood to act. Rabbi Hart and his fellow Jewish leaders strive to be relentless pursuers of justice by calling on Albany to pass the Child Victim’s Act.

New York State has been ranked among the very worst, alongside Mississippi, Alabama and Michigan, for how the courts and criminal justice system treat survivors of child sex abuse.

Jewish law does not recognize the concept of a statute of limitations: If a wrong was committed, if someone has been harmed, they always have the right to seek justice. However, says Rabbi Hart, “… sometimes our religious institutions and leaders have been part of the problem. Too often, they have discouraged victims from going to the police. Too often, they have been enablers or even perpetrators of abuse.” Pope Francis and catholic leaders don’t have this morality like these courageous Jewish leaders to admit their guilt.

The victims have paid the price, now it is time for the abusers to do so.  “We must ask ourselves: to which bottom line are we accountable? Those of profits, of those of the prophets?” says Rabbi Hart.

The world has hit the limits of tolerance of the catholic church’s lies and the lies of any religion or any group that harms children. We need all religions, all people, to join together to eradicate child abuse all over the globe.