The 15 year jail term imposed on former Melbourne school principal Malka Leifer is another reminder to institutions of the need to protect children from predatory child sex offenders.
Like other religious organisations, sections of Leifer’s ultra Orthodox Jewish Community came under scrutiny for their handling of institutional child sexual abuse at the Royal Commission which wrapped up in 2017.
Marcia Pinskier, a doctoral candidate at Monash University, is researching institutional child sexual abuse and leadership in Australia’s Jewish community.
She says the Royal Commission and the Leifer case have raised awareness of child sexual abuse in the Jewish community.
And she believes all Australian institutions with responsibility for children still need to improve their understanding of their legal liability when children aren’t protected.
Listen to the episode by Samantha Donovan on PM.