The
56-year-old former teacher and mother of eight is standing trial
accused of sexually abusing Melbourne sisters Nicole Meyer, Dassi Erlich
and Elly Sapper when they were her students, or young teachers, at the
city's Adass Israel School between 2003 and 2007.
Leifer, who was head of religious studies and later principal, has pleaded not guilty.
The charges comprise 10 counts of rape, 10 counts of indecent assault,
three counts of sexual penetration of a 16-year-old or 17-year-old
child, five counts of an indecent act with a 16-year-old or 17-year-old
child and one of rape by compelled sexual penetration.
The
women, who are sisters now in their 30s, were raised in the
ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community in which young girls were not taught
about sex until after they were engaged to be married, prosecutor Justin
Lewis told Leifer's County Court trial on Wednesday.
Former Melbourne ultra-Orthodox school principal Malka Leifer exploited
the vulnerability of her victims and warned one of them that she would
publicize the girl’s problems at home if she disclosed Leifer’s abuse, a
prosecutor told an Australian court in his opening statement on
Wednesday.
The girls came from a sheltered environment within Melbourne’s Hasidic
community. The family did not have a television, newspapers, magazines
or access to the internet at home. “It was not acceptable within the
community to say anything against a person of high standing in the
community, especially as a child,” Lewis said. “As a result of being
raised in an ultra-Orthodox community, the three complainants did not
have any knowledge or understanding of sex throughout the period of the
alleged offending.”
A jury of 15 - comprised of eight men and seven women - has been empanelled for the trial which could run for up to six weeks.
According
to Erlich, family life was extremely contained to ensure they were not
influenced by cultures of the world outside the community, Lewis said in
his opening address.
They had no newspapers, television, radio or access to the internet at home, and only had books that had been vetted.
Erlich
had no significant interaction with males outside her family until she
was introduced by a matchmaker to her future husband, he said.
"They were not taught anything about sex until engaged to be married," Lewis said.
Court documents reveal some of the alleged offending is said to have taken place during June school camps in 2004 and 2006.
Lewis
told the jury Meyer was sexually abused by Leifer when she was a
student and after graduating when she returned as a teacher.
On a high school camp, Leifer allegedly raped Meyer and told her "this will help you for your wedding night".
On a second occasion, Leifer allegedly fondled Meyer, before stopping and telling her "I'll leave that for your husband".
Lewis said Meyer was uncomfortable when touched by Leifer but because of her cultural upbringing didn't know any better.
Erlich was also allegedly abused at the same camp when sharing a room with her sister and Leifer.
Lewis
said Leifer begun to spend more time with Erlich in the lead-up to the
camp, when she was in year 11, and told her she was there for her.
Leifer
allegedly asked her if she was "an innocent girl or if she'd like to
find out things that weren't relevant" to her, Lewis said.
On another occasion, while Leifer was putting her baby to sleep, she allegedly kissed Erlich on the lips.
Lewis said Leifer then explained what kissing on the mouth meant because Erlich hadn't heard of it before.
The
jury heard Leifer had Erlich over to her house for kallah lessons - in
which young Jewish women are taught about family, purity and basic
details about sex.
His
opening address to jurors is expected to continue on Wednesday
afternoon, before Leifer's barristers Ian Hill KC and Lucinda Thies open
their case.
Wearing
a long black skirt, a black and gold jumper and her hair in a black
wrap, Leifer sat in the court holding a small book as Judge Mark Gamble
addressed the jurors on Wednesday morning.
He
told them to put aside any sympathy or prejudice they might feel toward
or against any party and determine the case using their intellect, not
their hearts.
Leifer
is facing 29 charges, including 10 of rape, one of rape by compelled
sexual penetration, three charges of sexual penetration of a 16 or
17-year-old child, 10 of indecent assault, and five of indecent assault
of a 16 or 17-year-old child.
"Leifer
has pleaded not guilty to each of these charges and so it is for you
and you alone to decide whether she is guilty or not guilty of these
crimes," Gamble said.
