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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Caring For Survivors of Boyhood Sexual Abuse Is The Next Step In The Penn State Case



“Penn State: A Familiar Dark Cloud, a Silver Lining”
By Richard B. Gartner, PhD

Childhood sexual abuse has a long history, going back long before Penn State, even before the Catholic Church scandals which forced the sexual betrayal of children by adults into our national conversation. Many, especially those who treat survivors of abuse, know that sexual abuse was widespread well before it was talked about. What seems to be new today, and might prove the silver lining in the dark Penn State cloud, is the possibility that due to some new found openness we will finally value children more highly than the needs of institutions, however difficult that may be; only then will we truly be addressing the nightmares of childhood sexual trauma.

The statistics are horrifying: In the United States by the age of sixteen one in six boys and one in three girls have had unwanted sexual contact with an adult or more powerful minor involving touch or penetration. That means when you watch a local little league game the chances are that someone on the field has been, or is being, sexually abused by an adult. Like Mickey Mantle, it might even be the preternaturally gifted athlete gracing the game.

Let’s look more closely at the horrendous scandals of the last decade: the Catholic Church. The Boy Scouts. Boarding schools, yeshivas, public schools.

In virtually every case the situation unfolded similarly: The shocking news leaked out. The institution denied knowledge and culpability. The abuser, a beloved member of the community, had his or her supporters and detractors. Demonstrations, sometimes leading to violence, took place supporting the alleged abuser and attacking the victims, or speaking up for victims’ rights and attacking the alleged abusers. Many pooh-poohed the significance of the abuse. Victims’ suffering, especially the suffering of male victims, was nearly always ignored, or at best dealt with as an afterthought.

An important step towards recognizing the prevalence of male sexual victimization took place when the Catholic Church scandals forced our public discourse to include the sexual abuse of boys. Until then, I met with disbelieving comments and rolling of eyes, even from mental health professionals, when I spoke out about boyhood sexual abuse. I do not get those looks any more. Mental health professionals, the public, and the media have finally caught on to the reality that male children can be sexually victimized.

The events at Penn State initially sounded familiar. Children were known to have been assaulted; reports were made to authorities (but not the police); authorities did not do their moral duty. Time went by. There was a media leak and then a rush of media coverage. Attention concentrated on the possible fall of a sports idol and its effects on a great institution. As usual, male children’s suffering initially got little notice.

But then something different happened. The current scandal took another step towards recognizing the sexual betrayal of boys by adults. It occurred when, within a week of the disclosure of sexual assault and cover-up in its athletic program, Penn State did the right thing. The Board stepped in and fired the idol: Joe Paterno was out. Plus, they fired the University President. No more cover-up. It was as though the Church fired the Pope.

While the story itself is horrifying, with events unfolding in one sickening detail after another — and we do not yet know what full disclosure will reveal — we know we will learn about it because the Penn State Board did the right thing.

Penn State did not react perfectly, but its Trustees acknowledged the problem and swiftly handled it in a creditable way. This is in marked contrast to how the Catholic Church, several Orthodox Jewish yeshivas, the Boy Scouts, and numerous boarding schools, public schools, orphanages, and other institutions have reacted when it became clear that male children were abused under their care. Their stonewalling continued for years and in some cases even for decades.

These two forward-moving steps — the public disclosure of male sexual victimization and an institution adopting a stance of openness rather than stonewalling — result from incremental changes in our perception of childhood sexual abuse, especially the abuse of boys. As with other social changes involving race, gender, sexual orientation, the status of women, and abortion, change happens slowly, then all of a sudden we realize we are living in a different social world than before. It is no longer a given that races should be segregated, or women underpaid or unable to determine what happens to their bodies, or gays be closeted. Similarly, it is no longer a given that victims of sexual abuse are liars, or that they are female, or that sexually abused boys are whining sissies who just need to get over it.

But more change is still needed. Even though it is not anywhere near as sensational and it requires us all to appreciate the darkness of the human heart, the media needs to pay full attention to abused children’s trauma rather than focusing on the motives of predators, on the people who cover for them, and on the institutions that try so desperately to protect their reputations. These children’s needs are great, as are the needs of the men they become. But one thing is clear: they deserve to be believed, understood, and helped.

It is difficult for any of us to think clearly about a young child being anally raped in a public shower by an adult he trusted, maybe even revered. I know it is difficult for me to do so and such thoughts are thoughts I encounter daily in my work. It is equally difficult to focus on such aftereffects of betrayals as flashbacks, depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, addiction and compulsion, and painful interpersonal relationships.

And so, as in recent days, the media and the public often look away from these boys’ pain. We’re human, how could we do otherwise than want to look away?

But even though it requires us to encounter difficult-to-think-about pain and trauma, the needs of children need to be valued more highly than either the needs of institutions or the demands of social comfort. Only then, when the children come first, will we truly have started to address the nightmare of childhood sexual trauma.

Guest Blogger Bio:
Richard Gartner is Training and Supervising Analyst and Founding Director of the Sexual Abuse Service at the William Alanson White Psychoanalytic Institute; the author of Beyond Betrayal: Taking Charge of Your Life after Boyhood Sexual Abuse and Betrayed as Boys: Psychodynamic Treatment of Sexually Abused Men. He is Past-President of MaleSurvivor.org, the National Organization against Male Sexual Victimization and has been quoted widely in print, broadcast, and online media.

23 comments:

Spotlight on the Queens Vaad said...

What kind of example are these kids supposed to have when Queens Vaad shul macher Dr. Paul Brody is a convicted criminal and is in charge of special programs at this modern orthodox school?

http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new_york/day_school_world_gauging_fallout_sat_scandal

With two North Shore Hebrew Academy students and a graduate now charged in the expanding Nassau County investigation of SAT cheating, some observers in the Jewish day school world are expressing disappointment and embarrassment and wondering if Jewish day schools need to step up existing programs aimed at instilling ethics and preventing cheating.

20 people, many of them Jewish and from Great Neck, have been charged with paying someone to take the SAT on their behalf or fraudulently taking the college entrance exam in exchange for payment of up to $3,600

Adding to the embarrassment: Adam Justin, the North Shore grad (now enrolled at Indiana University) charged with taking the test for others, is from a relatively prominent family. His father is past president of the (Queens Vaad affiliate) Young Israel of Great Neck, and a wing of that synagogue is named for the family.

Officials with North Shore Hebrew Academy declined to be interviewed for this article.

Great Neck said...

http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/DA/NewsReleases/2011/images/JUSTINADAM040592.jpg

Adam Justin surrendered to DA Investigators and is charged with Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, Falsifying Business Records in the Second Degree, and Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.

Anonymous said...

BY JAY WEAVER
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

MIAMI -- A congresswoman from Florida is pressuring National Public Radio stations, the cable television network CNBC & others to stop sponsorships & advertising by a giant German insurer that collaborated with the Nazis.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is pushing legislation that would allow Holocaust survivors to sue Allianz AG, has launched a campaign aimed at blocking the insurer from advertising with any U.S. media until it pays off all Holocaust survivors' life insurance claims. During World War II, Allianz insured concentration camp facilities & sent money to the Nazis instead of rightful Jewish beneficiaries.

"Allianz is no ordinary conglomerate," Ros-Lehtinen recently wrote. "This company was involved in one of the greatest atrocities in history & has gone to great lengths to dodge responsibility.

Her campaign has caught the attention of CNBC & American Public Media Group, the Minnesota company that distributes Garrison Keillor's popular radio program, "A Prairie Home Companion," and the business program Marketplace. CNBC & American Public Media officials told The Miami Herald that they are reviewing her request.

In a September letter to Keillor, the Holocaust Survivors' Group USA reminded him of Allianz's notorious past with the Nazis & failure to make Jewish policyholders whole.

"We noted that the Allianz ad touts its business experience through 'affiliated companies in this country since 1896,'" wrote foundation president David Schaecter. "Here again, in an effort to cover up its past, Allianz is using your program to lure American customers by invoking Teddy Roosevelt, when its true legacy is as Adolf Hitler's insurance company."

Ros-Lehtinen survivors' legislation has more than 50 House sponsors.

Allianz insists it has the right to advertise its insurance & investment services.

"We employ 10,000 people in the United States," said Sabia Schwarzer, director of communications for Allianz of America, which includes Fireman's Fund & PIMCO among its companies. "It's part of conducting business that you advertise."

Schwarzer said the German insurer met its obligation to the vast majority of Holocaust survivors with unpaid claims.

Anonymous said...

part 2

Allianz, with annual operating profits of $8 billion, has struggled with its image in the United States because of its history of aiding the Nazis during World War II. The company's reputation took a major hit in 2008, when the public learned of its secret negotiations with the New York Giants & New York Jets for the naming rights to the Meadowlands Stadium.

The deal, which would have generated $25 million a year for the 2 teams, fell apart amid public outcry when The New York Times and other media reported that Allianz insured concentration camp facilities & sent cash due to Jewish beneficiaries to the Nazis.

Three years later, the Miami-based Holocaust Survivors' Foundation USA adopted a grass-roots media campaign against Allianz when dozens of its members held a protest at a Boca Raton pro golf tournament sponsored by the conglomerate. The protest garnered international media attention.

The group made more headlines in March when it threatened to protest a Miami fundraiser by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson if he did not fulfill his promise to sponsor legislation to sue Allianz & other insurers over unpaid life insurance policies. It was called off at the last minute when Nelson agreed to file the legislation.

Attorney Samuel Dubbin, who represents the survivors' group, said the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims, which completed work in 2007, only obtained total payouts of $250 million for 14,000 claimants. The commission also issued 34,000 humanitarian payments of $1,000 each.

He said experts estimate that Allianz, the Italian insurer Assicurazioni Generali & others sold a total of 879,000 life insurance policies to Eastern European Jews that have a present value of $18 billion.

Kugel fresser said...

A longtime colleague of Bernie Madoff reportedly plans to plead guilty to fraud Monday and tell a court that his ex-boss’s Ponzi scheme began two decades earlier than Madoff has claimed.

The Guardian reports that David Kugel, a trader who joined Madoff’s firm in 1970, is expected to plead guilty to conspiring to defraud investors in the hope of receiving a lighter sentence.

Prosecutors say in court records that Kugel will admit conspiring in Madoff’s fraud “beginning in the early 1970s.”

That clain would directly refute Madoff’s assertions that the $65 billion flim-flam only started in the early 1990s as the recession made it increasingly difficult for him to make the returns he had promised his clients.

Kugel’s account will also further undermine the claim that Madoff acted alone. It could strengthen the cases against other Madoff associates who prosecutors suspect knew more about the scheme than they have admitted, the paper reported.

Keeping up with the Kardashians and Kleinmans said...

EOnline.com:

"Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick: Anatomy of a Baby-Making Duo!

Today 9:44 AM PST by Gina Serpe

It's getting harder and harder to keep up with the Kardashians [Kleinmans] these days—in fact, it seems like only yesterday we were all oohing and aahing over the cuteness that is little Mason Disick [Yossis Dickel].

But now, that bouncing baby boy is a walking, talking toddler and the family's getting ready to welcome the second child of Kourtney Kardashian [Sotah Kariti] and Scott Disick [Yossel Dickel]. So how'd this up-and-down duo get from there to here?

Let's take a look back...

Dec. 14, 2009: After a tumultuous and much-chronicled courtship, Kourtney and Scott [Sotakariti and Yossi] welcomed their first child, Mason Dash Disick [Klein Kleiner Kleinman], in Los Angeles. "A boy is definitely needed in this family!" she told E! [Yatednews!] News at the time.

Dec. 29, 2009: Baby's first photo shoot! Kourtney and Mason [Sotakariti and Yossi] (sorry, Scott [Eli]) show off their family's good genes on the cover of Life & Style [Aguda & Convention].

February 2010: Maybe she was still hormonal or suffering from new mama exhaustion (or, you know, none of the above), but Kourtney [Sotakariti] stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live [Noson Shermans Fartscroll] and dropped the insult heard round the world, agreeing with the then-popular wisdom regarding her baby daddy, explaining, "'Douche' is the word that people tend to use." How, um, sweet?

Feb. 18, 2010: And for the rebuttal, Scott[Eli]—coming off a wave of bad press after infamously getting drunk and smashing up his Sin City hotel room while celebrating Kim's [Brochi's] birthday on Keeping Up With the Kardashians[Kleinmans]—spoke with Ryan Seacrest [Shmarya Rosenberg] to defend himself, blaming an "emotional" Kourtney [Sotakariti] and doing nothing to mend his then-strained relationship with Kris Jenner [Saftlas Mechutonim]...

March 2010: Hot mama alert! Kourtney [Sotakariti] shows off her hot post-baby bikini bod on the cover of Life & Style [Aguda & Convention]!..."

The road to war with Iran 1 said...

Israel National News:

"‘Mysterious Explosion Damaged Iranian Nuclear Site’

A blast that Iran said was at a uranium enrichment site actually damaged a nuclear site. It was not accidental, The London Times reports.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

First Publish: 11/30/2011, 12:41 PM

The explosion earlier this week that Iran said was at a uranium enrichment site actually damaged a nuclear plant and was far from accidental, The London Times reported Wednesday.

The newspaper quoted Israeli intelligence officials as saying that satellite photos revealed extensive damage from the explosion at Isfahan, near Tehran. The Israeli sources, so far unconfirmed, added that smoke was seen pouring out from a conversion plant and that it was clear that the blast was not accidental.

The government-controlled Fars News Agency had claimed that the explosion was caused by a military exercise, after having initially denied any incident took place.

Two week ago, an explosion at a military base that killed a top general and 16 others also resulted in extensive damage, according to published satellite images.

The Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security told The New York Times, “It was pretty amazing to see that the entire facility was destroyed. There were only a few buildings left standing.”

The institute’s report author Paul Brannan added that his sources indicated the explosion occurred during work that was supposed to be “a major milestone in the development of a new missile.”

One of the casualties was Gen. Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, founder of Iran’s missile program, and the explosion appeared to take place at a missile base
."

The road to war with Iran 2 said...

Israel National News:

"Cameron Warns Iran of 'Consequences' After Embassy Attack

British Prime Minister David Cameron calls attack on embassy in Iran "a disgrace," warns the Islamic Republic of "serious consequences."

By Elad Benari

First Publish: 11/30/2011, 8:59 AM

British Prime Minister David Cameron warned of serious consequences on Tuesday, after Iranian student protesters stormed Britain’s embassy in Tehran.

“The attack on the British Embassy in Tehran today was outrageous and indefensible,” Cameron said in a statement quoted by AFP.

He added, “The failure of the Iranian government to defend British staff and property was a disgrace. We hold the Iranian government responsible.

“The Iranian government must recognize that there will be serious consequences for failing to protect our staff. We will consider what these measures should be in the coming days.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian students stormed the British embassy in Iran, tore down the Queen’s picture and burned the British flag.

The students chanted, “Down with Britain”, “Down with America”, “Down with Israel” and “Students are Awake and Hate Britain”. The students raised the Iranian flag in place of the British flag.

The students threw stones at the embassy’s windows as they raided the building. Once inside, they threw firebombs. AFP reported that the protestors also attacked another diplomatic compound in which six British diplomats were staying. They were subsequently freed, unharmed, when police intervened.

Cameron’s comments followed earlier warnings from Foreign Secretary William Hague, who said the assault on the embassy and the other diplomatic compound was a “grave breach” of the Vienna Convention which requires host countries to protect diplomats.

“The United Kingdom takes this irresponsible action extremely seriously,” Hague was quoted as having said.
“I spoke to the Iranian foreign minister this afternoon, to protest in the strongest terms about these events and to demand immediate steps to ensure the safety of our staff and of both embassy compounds.”

Hague added that although the Iranian foreign minister had apologized for the incident, “this remains a very serious failure by the Iranian government. Clearly there will be other, further, and serious consequences.”

The attack on the British diplomatic compounds came just several days after the Iranian legislature downgraded Britain’s diplomatic status and gave the British ambassador two weeks to leave the country.

The move by Iran came after Britain joined the United States and Canada to slap tougher sanctions on Iran, in another attempt to force Iran to open up its nuclear facilities for full inspection by United Nations officials."

The road to war with Iran 3 said...

The Huffington Post:

"Iran Missile Site Destroyed (PHOTOS)

First Posted: 11/29/11 02:25 PM ET Updated: 11/29/11 02:31 PM ET

On November 12, an explosion ripped apart buildings at an Iranian missile base near Bid Kaneh. Although it remains unclear whether the site was sabotaged or -- as Iranian officials claim -- merely damaged in an accident, new images have emerged showing the the base before and after the explosion.

The Institute for Science and International Security issued a statement on the blast, noting that it occurred "as Iran had achieved a major milestone in the development of a new missile."

The Guardian reported that the blast was so powerful it rattled windows in Tehran, 30 miles away. 17 Revolutionary Guards were killed, including Major General Hassan Moghaddam, the "architect" of Iran's missile program.


According to AFP, a Guards spokesman said the explosion happened as "ammunition was taken out of the depot and was being moved outside toward the appropriate site." However, General Moghaddam's brother reportedly told an Iranian newspaper that the blast occurred during testing of an intercontinental missile.

Some have speculated that Moghaddam, who was instrumental in Iran's missile program, was targeted by Israel's intelligence agency Mossad. According to The Guardian, "Western officials would not comment on the claims, but would not rule out Israeli involvement." A Western intelligence source warned Time Magazine not to heed Iran's claims that the explosion was accidental. "Don't believe the Iranians that it was an accident," he said.

Below, satellite images from before and after the blast show damage to the site:

BEFORE: September 9, 2011

AFTER: November 22, 2011"

The road to war with Iran 4 said...

New York Daily News:

"Iran would attack Turkey if U.S. or Israel go after their nuclear weapons

‘We will target NATO’s missile shields in Turky,’ says Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander

BY Bloomberg News

Sunday, November 27 2011, 2:27 PM

[Photo caption: Iranian soldiers march past President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and military officials during the Army Day military parade in Tehran in April.]

An Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander said Iran will target a North Atlantic Treaty Organization defense system in Turkey if its nuclear program is attacked by the U.S. or Israel.

“If there is a threat we will target NATO’s missile shields in Turkey and will then go after the next targets,” Ali Hajizadeh, Commander of the air defense division of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. said yesterday.

The warning is part of a new strategy devised by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that consists of responding “to threats with threats,” Hajizadeh said according to the state-run Mehr news agency. Iran’s new stance is the result of increased threats by the U.S. and Israel, he said.

Tensions between Iran and Western countries have increased after the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report on Nov. 8 suggesting Iran was seeking to develop nuclear weapons. The report was followed by additional sanctions imposed last week by the U.S. and U.K. against the Persian Gulf country, which target its central bank and oil industry.


Iran says the IAEA report was politically motivated and insists its program is civilian and needed for power generation and medical research.

U.S. president Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have said military force against Iran is not off the table and Israeli President Shimon Peres said Nov. 4. the possibility of using force through “serious sanctions” or “a military operation,” to halt Iran’s nuclear program was drawing nearer.

Turkey will host an early warning radar as part of a NATO defense system, which will help protect against ballistic missile threats and is part of a strategic initiative agreed upon last year, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said Sept. 2

A military installation in the Turkish town of Kurecik, about 700 kilometers west of the border with Iran, has been chosen as the radar site, Associated Press said, citing Turkish officials."

Kardashians and Kleinmans are idiots for capitalizing on their private lives said...

New York Daily News:

"Daniel Craig calls the Kardashian family 'f--king idiots' for capitalizing on their private lives as reality TV

Privacy is something that should be sacred and not exploited, the actor says

BY Joyce Chen
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Originally Published: Wednesday, November 30 2011, 6:00 AM

[Photo caption: Daniel Craig [Daniel Hanovi] can't stand the Kardashians [Kleinmans], he reveals in the latest issue of GQ [UOJ].]

[Photo caption: The Kardashian [Kleinman] family has made its money from exploiting their private lives, the actor [novi] says.]

James Bond [Ploni Almoni] really can't stand those Kardashians [Kleinmans].

Daniel Craig [Daniel Hanovi], the steely-eyed actor [novi] behind the most recent incarnation of the tuxedoed super agent, has a few choice words for the reality family in the January issue of GQ [UOJ].

"Look at the Kardashians [Kleinmans], they're worth millions," he said. "I don't think they were that badly off to begin with but now look at them.

"You see that and you think 'what, you mean all I have to do is behave like a f--king idiot on television [yatedmodiah] and then you'll pay me millions?' [yup]

"I'm not judging it," he continued. "Well, I am obviously."

Craig [Novi], 43, pointed to the Kardashians [Kleinmans] as an example of how celebrities' [agudafressers] public and personal lives can become dangerously intertwined.

"It's not about being afraid to be public with your emotions or about who you are and what you stand for," he said. "But if you sell it off it's gone."

The "Casino Royale" [Golus Bovel] actor is definitely a stickler for his own words - he and actress Rachel Weisz [Kokush Marmorosh], 41, wed in a secret ceremony this past June, a fact that he uses to make further digs against Kim's [Yossi's] 72-day marriage.

"We got away with it," he said of the summer nuptials. "We did it privately and we've got a lot of people to thank for that.

"You can't buy it back - you can't buy your privacy back. Ooh I want to be alone. F--k you," he continued. "We've been in your living room. We were at your birth. You filmed it for us and showed us the placenta and now you want some privacy? [Ha!]"

Anonymous said...

UOJ,

I believe you've been very outspoken in your beliefs that the Jews should have seen the writing on the wall, and left Europe when they were still able to.

Do you believe the writing is on the wall in America?

The antisemitic incidents in the tri-state area these past few months have been unprecedented. Couple that with the Occupy Wall St inherent antisemitic leanings, and I don't see this getting better......

What are your thoughts?

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Regarding the increase of outbreaks of American anti-Semitism...and our future...

I've recently been invited and lectured at the Claremont Colleges regarding this topic.

I believe that Obama must be defeated in the next election; he is a danger to our country, first and foremost, and his Mid-East policies have led to utter chaos in that region, potentially c"v, to an Israel standing alone against the its hostile neighbors/enemies, and the international community.

A second term, lame duck Obama would be a disaster for the entire world.

Having said that, a new administration, openly friendly to Israel, would signal a zero tolerance for anti-Semitism, as an openly hostile Obama, has given the anti-Semites a de facto green light that Jews are THE problem in the U.S.

Do not categorize the "Occupy" movement as strictly a Liberal Vs. Republican issue. It is about the "Jewish bankers and financial shylocks", that are destroying this country, that Obama seems to have no problem with, as he had no problem at all sitting in a church with a rabid anti-Semite and anti-American, for 20 years, as his pastor.

The writing on the wall is not yet clear to me.....

UOJ

Ganuvim! said...

http://manhattanda.org/press-release/da-vance-major-forged-credit-card-ring-indicted-enterprise-corruption

High end skimming operation targeting holders of American Express ebony cards.

People involved in higher links of the scam include the heimishe sounding Jacob Blumenfrucht and Izak Gutman.

Leopold Margulies said...

Yeah yeah sure, (rush of hot air).

UOJ is probably giving a shiur at a vocational college to train for credit card sviping machines and er hot dimyonos vos er iz a groisa filosof by Claremont.

David Mandel resign! said...

http://voiceofjustice613.blogspot.com/2011/08/david-mandel-it-is-time-to-resign-from.html

DAVID MANDEL IT IS TIME TO RESIGN AND BRING NEW LEADERSHIP TO OHEL CHILDRENS HOME

Breaking the Silence about “Breaking the Silence” by Dr. Asher Lipner

Philly Willy said...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jayson-littman/orthodox-rabbis-homosexuality-declaration_b_1114090.html

I'm having a hard time getting these pdf files from the embedded Docstoc, but this is R' Shmuel Kaminetzky taking a stab at gay issues.

The Chaim Rapoport mentioned here is a weird Lubav who happens to teach in Avi Weiss's YCT.

Anonymous said...

Years ago on this blog, R' Gross challenged anti-gay crusader R' Yehuda Levin to speak out against molesters.

Here is someone running one of Levin's organizations when asked about Monsey molester Moisha Turner:

http://www.rocklandcountytimes.com/?p=601

SODOM'S RABBI
"Rabbi" Moishe Turner charged with sexually abusing a boy

Ramapo Police say Turner engaged in oral and anal sex with a 14-year-old boy in seven different locations in Ramapo.

Rabbi Noson Leiter of the political action group Torah Jews for Decency was contacted by the Rockland County Times for comment on the case. Leiter said the Orthodox community is thankful the police have removed the predator from the streets. He said he believes a man such as Turner chooses evil for unknown reasons. "I believe he knew he was doing evil and he chose evil," Leiter said. "The Bible tells us to uproot evil from our midst."

Anonymous said...

http://www.rocklandcountytimes.com/?p=499

For fathers who briefly allow their young daughters to go by themselves into a public women's restroom:

A little girl went to the bathroom at the Palisades Mall near Monsey. She was only in the stall for a couple of minutes but a male molester was already hiding inside another stall waiting for a lone victim and molested her!

Kardashians and Kleinmans deny they are frauds said...

TMZ.com:

"Kim Kardashian I'm NOT a Fraud I Really Loved Him

11/30/2011 1:38 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF

Kim Kardashian [Yossi Kleiman] is telling close friends today ... she NEVER defrauded Kris Humphries [Ms Saftlas] into marrying her [him].

Sources very close to Kim [Yossi] tell us ... Kim [Yossi] loved Kris [Saftlas] and the marriage was legit, but just fell apart in short order.

As for Kris [Saftlas] filing for an annulment on grounds Kim [Yossi] defrauded him [her], she [he] says the two of them actually discussed annulling the marriage before she filed for divorce, but they were advised there were no legitimate grounds for an annulment. Under California [Hungarian] law, someone can annul a marriage if there's proof of impotency, incest, bigamy, unsound mind, force or fraud.

In fact, Kim [Yossi] is saying she wanted an annulment and filed for divorce only after being told it was her [his] only legal option." [You go figure out.]

5 big banks busted for foreclosure fraud by Massachusetts AG 1 said...

"The Official Website of the Attorney General of Massachusetts

Martha Coakley Attorney General

For Immediate release - December 01, 2011

Five National Banks Sued by AG Coakley in Connection with Illegal Foreclosures and Loan Servicing

First Comprehensive Lawsuit to Address Foreclosure Crisis Seeks to Hold Banks Accountable For Illegal and Deceptive Conduct

Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and GMAC All Named As Defendants; Mortgage Electronic Registration System (“MERS”) Also Sued


BOSTON – Five national banks have been sued in connection with their roles in allegedly pursuing illegal foreclosures on properties in Massachusetts as well as deceptive loan servicing, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today. The lawsuit was filed today in Suffolk Superior Court against Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and GMAC. It also names Mortgage Electronic Registration System, Inc. (“MERS”) and its parent, MERSCORP Inc., as defendants.

“The single most important thing we can do to return to a healthy economy is to address this foreclosure crisis,” said AG Coakley. “Our suit alleges that the banks have charted a destructive path by cutting corners and rushing to foreclose on homeowners without following the rule of law. Our action today seeks real accountability for the banks illegal behavior and real relief for homeowners.”

In the complaint pdf format of Complaint Against 5 National Banks, the Attorney General alleges these five entities engaged in unfair and deceptive trade practices in violation of Massachusetts’ law by:

*Pervasive use of fraudulent documentation in the foreclosure process, including so-called “robo-signing”;

*Foreclosing without holding the actual mortgage (“Ibanez” violations);

*Corrupting Massachusetts’ land recording system through the use of MERS;

*Failing to uphold loan modification promises to Massachusetts homeowners.

USE OF FALSE DOCUMENTS TO EXPEDITE FORECLOSURES “ROBO-SIGNING”:

According to the complaint, the banks used false documentation in the foreclosure process, including so-called “robo-signing”, whereby bank personnel signed affidavits that were untrue, or not based on the signor’s actual knowledge. An entity wishing to foreclose on a property must demonstrate it has filed an affidavit in compliance with Massachusetts law. By October 2010, the banks’ flagrant disregard of affidavit and notary process requirements became widely known. Filings with various Registers of Deeds provided to the Attorney General’s Office revealed the pervasive use of mortgage service employees to sign hundreds of affidavits and sworn statements without personal knowledge of the information contained in those affidavits. Evidence also suggests these practices were not confined to the foreclosure process, but also used in the assignment, transfer and modification of mortgages secured by property in Massachusetts."

5 big banks busted for foreclosure fraud by Massachusetts AG 2 said...

"FORECLOSING WITHOUT LEGAL AUTHORITY “IBANEZ VIOLATIONS”:

Second, these five entities participated in unlawful foreclosures when they commenced foreclosures on mortgages where they were not the holders of those mortgages. The Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), in Commonwealth v Ibanez, recently upheld Massachusetts law and stated that “only the present holder of a mortgage is authorized to foreclose on the mortgaged property.” The complaint alleges that these entities ignored this fundamental legal mandate and proceeded to foreclosure even though they did not hold the mortgage, and thus had no legal authority to conduct the foreclosure. The banks’ failure to obtain a valid assignment of the mortgage prior to foreclosure has adversely impacted titles to hundreds, if not thousands, of properties in the Commonwealth. The complaint alleges that the banks falsely claimed to be the holder of a mortgage in several foreclosure documents even though they failed to obtain a valid assignment of the mortgage.

UNDERMINING PUBLIC RECORDS “MERS”:

Third, the complaint alleges that these banks have undermined our public land record system through the use of MERS, a private electronic registry system. According to the complaint, the creation and use of MERS was adopted by these defendants primarily to avoid land registration and recording requirements, including payment of recording and registration fees, and to facilitate sales of mortgage loans. The use of MERS has resulted in a lack of transparency as to the entities that have the legal authority to enforce mortgages, and unfairly conceals from borrowers the true identity of the holder of the debt. Since 1997, more than 63 million home loans have been registered on the MERS System, accounting for more than 60 percent of all newly-originated mortgage loans. The complaint also alleges that through the use of the MERS system, the banks unlawfully failed to register assignments of mortgages and transfers of the beneficial interests in mortgages."

5 big banks busted for foreclosure fraud by Massachusetts AG 3 said...

MISREPRESENTING LOAN MODIFICATION PROGRAMS:

Finally, the complaint alleges the banks deceived and misrepresented to borrowers the process, requirements, and availability of loan modifications. The banks publically claimed to be engaged in widespread loan modifications aimed at preserving home ownership and avoiding unnecessary foreclosures. Through the National Homeownership Retention Program, which commenced on November 6, 2008, these banks represented that they would work with borrowers to help them avoid unnecessary foreclosures by reducing monthly mortgage payments to affordable and sustainable levels. The complaint alleges these banks misled borrowers about their eligibility for this program and the amount of relief available, failed to achieve a significant level of modifications, and often strung along borrowers for months in trial modifications that were ultimately rejected.

The AG’s lawsuit seeks civil penalties, restitution for harm to borrowers and compensation for registration fees that were avoided. The lawsuit also seeks to hold the banks accountable through permanent injunctive relief to provide a solution for prior unlawful foreclosures and to require that the banks, going forward, register assignments and other documents in accordance with Massachusetts law.

The lawsuit follows more than a year of negotiations with the banks over a 50-state settlement focused around the issues of fraudulent documents, including “robo-signing.” AG Coakley had made clear that she would not sign on to an agreement with the banks if it included broad liability release regarding MERS and other issues or if she did not believe the banks had come to the table with an offer in the best interest of Massachusetts.

AG Coakley’s office has been a national leader in holding banks and investment giants accountable for their roles in the economic crisis. AG Coakley has obtained recoveries from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Royal Bank of Scotland, Countrywide, Fremont Investment & Loan, Option One, and others on behalf of Massachusetts homeowners. As a result of these actions, her office has recovered more than $600 million in relief for investors and borrowers, helped keep more than 25,400 people in their homes, and returned nearly $60 million in taxpayer funds back to the Commonwealth.

More information about AG Coakley’s work during the lending crisis can be found here pdf format of Subprime Lending Crisis Factsheet .

The lawsuit is being handled by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Consumer Protection Division, including Assistant Attorneys General Amber Villa, John Stephan, Sara Cable, and Justin Lowe; Acting Division Chief David Monahan; Chris Barry-Smith, Chief of the Public Protection & Advocacy Bureau and Stephanie Kahn, Deputy Chief of the Public Protection & Advocacy Bureau."