For immediate release
Yeshiva University Under Fire for Allegedly Failing to Report Child Sex Abuse Over Decades
Late last year, Yeshiva University found itself at the center of a whirlwind of allegations of child sex abuse, perpetrated by a former teacher and principal over the course of twenty years.
Yeshiva University is a private school consisting of several affiliated schools, including Yeshiva University High School for Boys, located in Washington Heights, NY and Yeshiva University High School for Girls, located in Queens, NY.
Over a dozen victims have stepped forward, alleging that Yeshiva University school officials ignored allegations that two employees were sexually abusing students, both on and off campus.
Yeshiva University’s Internal Investigation Completed
Shortly after the allegations surfaced, Yeshiva University hired a local NY law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the sex abuse allegations, how they were handled, etc.
That investigation was conducted by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and headed by a partner at the firm who was previously the chief of the Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York.
Last month, the investigation was completed and a report issued. That report, however, is shy of any details or facts. The first 7 pages detail the scope of the investigation (what was done, how many hours were spent, the number of victims interviewed, etc.). Then, only one page details the summary findings, which again failed to reveal any facts. The report did indicate on page 8:
The investigative team found that up until 2001, there were multiple instances in which the University either failed to appropriately act to protect the safety of its students or did not respond to the allegations at all. Based on what the investigative team learned from its interviews with victims, this lack of an appropriate response by the University calls victims to believe that their complaints fell on deaf ears or were simply not believed by the universities administration.
This is perhaps the most damning paragraph of the report, yet again still fails to reveal facts or basis for the finding. The remaining 44 pages discuss University policies regarding child sex abuse, bullying, harassment, etc.
Related:
- Why Child Sex Abuse is Swept under the Rug in Church Communities like the Jewish Community
- New York’s Yeshiva University Child Sex Abuse Scandal
Help if You Have Been the Victim of Child Sex Abuse
Firm founder, Guy D’Andrea, is a former sex crimes unit prosecutor who now represents victims of crime including victims of child sex abuse and molestation. Brian offers free consultations to all victims of child sex abuse. Click To Call