Thursday, July 20, 2017

This article examines specific factors that contribute to the underreporting of child sexual abuse within Orthodox Jewish communities.


Journal of Child Sexual Abuse

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Twice Silenced: The Underreporting of Child Sexual Abuse in Orthodox Jewish Communities


Pages 1-16 | Received 28 Mar 2017, Accepted 22 May 2017, Published online: 17 Jul 2017




Child sexual abuse remains an underreported crime throughout the world, despite extensive research and resources dedicated both to improving investigative techniques and helping children disclose their experiences.

 The discovery of rampant cover-ups within the Catholic Church has exposed some of the ways religious and cultural issues can impede reporting to authorities. This article examines specific factors that contribute to the underreporting of child sexual abuse within Orthodox Jewish communities. 

It also explores ways in which these communities have handled child sexual abuse reporting in the past and describes recent progress. Implications are offered for CSA prevention, detection, and recovery in Orthodox Jewish communities as well as other minority religious groups.

Author information


David Katzenstein

David Katzenstein, LCSW-R, is the clinical coordinator of the Department of Behavioral Health at Premium Health Center. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Touro College, Wurzweiler, and NYU Schools of Social Work and is currently a doctoral candidate at NYU- Silver School of Social Work.

Lisa Aronson Fontes

Lisa Aronson Fontes, PhD, is a senior lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and author of the book Interviewing Clients Across Cultures as well as numerous publications related to cultural issues in child abuse and violence against women.

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