Three sisters allegedly suffered traumatic abuse at the hands of their ultra-orthodox Jewish school principal – but a Victorian law tried to gag them.
Dassi Erlich, Elly Sapper and Nicole Meyer on Wednesday won a fight to tell the world what they allegedly suffered at the hands of their former school principal Malka Leifer at Melbourne’s Adass Israel Girls School in the 2000s.
Mrs Leifer is facing 74 charges of sexual abuse against the three former students, but she travelled to Israel before her case could be heard in court.
An extradition attempt to bring her back to Australia, so she can answer for her alleged abuse, has dragged on for six years.
Sisters Erlich, Sapper and Meyer have previously talked about what allegedly happened to them at the hands of Mrs Leifer – but they suddenly were gagged when Victoria brought in new laws in February this year.
The laws prohibit victims of a sexual assault being identified – even with the victim’s consent – unless they take the time and expense of obtaining a specific court order.
In the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday the lawyer acting for the three sisters, Adrian Strauch, slammed the law.
He said the victims of any other crime in Victoria were able to be heard if they chose.
Read the article by in Perth Now.