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{{Infobox organization
{{Disputed|date=March 2008}}
| name = The Awareness Center
{{Primarysources|date=December 2007}}
| image =
{{Citations broken|date=December 2007}}
| caption =
{{Infobox Organization
| formation = 1999
|name = The Awareness Center
| type = Non-profit
|image =
| headquarters = [[Skokie, Illinois]]
|size =
| leader_title = Founder and CEO
|caption =
| leader_name = Vicki Polin
|formation = 2003
| key_people =
|type = Non-profit
| budget =
|headquarters = [[Baltimore, MD]]
| website = [http://www.theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/ The Awareness Center]
|leader_title = Executive Director
|leader_name = Vicki Polin
|key_people =
|num_staff =
|budget =
|website = [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org The Awareness Center, Inc.]
}}
}}


'''The Awareness Center, Inc.''', also known as the international Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault, was a nonprofit institution whose stated mission was to end [[Sexual assault|sexual violence]] in the [[Jewish community]].<ref name=homepage>[http://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/ The Awareness Center Home Page]. Retrieved 29 April 2013</ref><ref name=Mission>[http://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/2003/10/awareness-centers-mission-statement.html ''The Awareness Center's Mission Statement'']. Retrieved 29 April 2013.</ref><ref name="Meyer-Greenberg" /> It was praised and criticized for maintaining a website (since disabled) whose policy was to identify Jewish clergy and officials as alleged [[sexual predator]]s, by name, whether or not they had been charged or sued.<ref name=CAB>[http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=6543&TM=95.172 Clergy Abuse] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721012441/http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=6543&TM=95.172 |date=July 21, 2011 }}, Washington Jewish Week (2007-01-17): "The center has been both criticized and praised for its policy of identifying rabbis and other sexual predators on its Web site, whether or not they have been tried in court."</ref><ref name=Rein>[http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2007/01/25/news/local/insightabuse0125.txt Reining in Abuse], Cleveland Jewish News (2007-01-25).</ref> Critics say the center made unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations.<ref name="Meyer-Greenberg">{{cite news
'''The Awareness Center, Inc.''' was founded as an international, nonprofit tax-exempt, educational organization also known as the '''Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault''' ('''JCASA'''), whose mission is to end [[Sexual assault|sexual violence]] in [[Jewish population|Jewish communities]].
|title = Awareness Center a Clearinghouse of Concern — and Controversy
|first1 = Eugene L.
|last1 = Meyer
|first2 = Richard
|last2 = Greenberg
|url = http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&subsectionID=4&articleID=6566
|agency = [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]]
|newspaper = [[Washington Jewish Week]]
|date = January 10, 2007
|accessdate = October 5, 2010
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110811123456/http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&subsectionID=4&articleID=6566
|archivedate = August 11, 2011
}}"Some of them have been convicted of crimes; some have not even been charged or sued."
</ref><ref name="Catalyst">[http://catalystmagazine.net/component/k2/item/616-trial-by-internet-an-archetypal-spiritual-drama?highlight=WyJqZWZmIiwiYmVsbCIsImplZmYgYmVsbCJd Trial by Internet: An archetypal spiritual drama, by Jeff Bell, Catalyst magazine, July 2008.]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref><ref name=Voice>Rosenbluth, Susan, [http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com/a/JVO20081104.html "Dov Hikind’s Challenge: Who Should Sit — and Who Should Not — on Taskforce Dealing with Sex Abuse in the ''Frum'' Community"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813031535/http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com/a/JVO20081104.html |date=August 13, 2010 }}, The Jewish Voice and Opinion, November 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2010.</ref>


==History, goals and leadership==
==History, goals and leadership==
The Awareness Center was founded in 2001 by [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/executivedirector.html Vicki Polin,] who is CEO of the organization. Its mission statement lists the organization's goals as being the continued development of its international data base/web page, continued growth of its international speaker's bureau, and the development of its educational certification program for rabbis, cantors and other Jewish community leaders<ref>[http://theawarenesscenter.org/mission.html The Awareness Center's Mission Statement]</ref>.
The Awareness Center was founded by Vicki Polin, a licensed clinical professional counselor, in 2001<ref name="Meyer-Greenberg" /> and incorporated in 2003.<ref name=Mission /> It closed for a time in 2011,<ref>[http://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/2011/03/as-purim-rolls-in-awareness-center.html Polin, Vicki, ''As Purim Rolls in The Awareness Center Closes'', The Awareness Center, Inc., 17 March 2011.] Retrieved 18 March 2011.</ref><ref name="tacblog">{{cite web|url=http://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-11-2011-dear-friends-economic.html|title=The Awareness Center Blog, "Saying goodbye to an era"|accessdate=March 18, 2011}}</ref> but claimed to resume operations in 2013. The website registration was then allowed to lapse.<ref name=origpage>[http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/ The Awareness Center Home Page]. Retrieved 23 Jan 2016</ref> The center's mission statement listed goals such as the development of an international data base and web page, an international speaker's bureau and an educational certification program for [[rabbis]], [[hazzan|cantors]] and other Jewish communal leaders.<ref name=Mission />


In December 2010, the center claimed the support of more than 260 rabbis from around the world.<ref name = "RabbiList">{{cite web|url= http://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/2010/12/rabbis-who-publicly-support-efforts-of.html|title = Rabbis who Publicly Support the Efforts of The Awareness Center To End Sexual Violence in Jewish Communities Around The World|date = 24 December 2010|accessdate= 29 April 2013}}</ref>
The second phase includes the development of self-help groups for Jewish survivors, parents and family members of sex offenders to be held in communities worldwide; and the development and implementation of an international conference on sexual violence.


==Activities==
The third phase includes developing a healing/retreat center and on-going educational programming in Israel, the United States, and throughout the world. A long-term goal is to develop an international network of researchers.
The center operated as a [[volunteering|volunteer]] organization.<ref name=Forward>Spence, Rebecca, ''Rabbi Challenges Right to Anonymity on Internet'', ''The Forward'' (2006-07-14): "'One of the things most healing to any victim of a serious crime is to talk about it,' said Vicki Polin, founder of The Awareness Center Inc., a volunteer organization that maintains a Web site on sexual abuse in the Jewish community. 'When people start blogging, they realize they’re not alone,' she said."</ref> According to its founder, the best way for a victim of sexual abuse to heal is to talk or blog about it.<ref name=Forward />


The organization's brochure indicated that the center provided educational training for survivors groups, community organizations, rabbis, teachers and parents.<ref name=Bro2>[http://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/2013/02/about-awareness-center.html About The Awareness Center]. 12 February 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.</ref><ref name="brochure">{{cite web|url=http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/AwarenessCenterBrochure.pdf |title=Awareness Center Brochure |accessdate=October 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226231944/http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/AwarenessCenterBrochure.pdf |archivedate=December 26, 2008 }}
The Awareness Center's [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/board.html Board of Directors and International Advisory Board includes]: [[Dr. Mesa Leventhal Baker]] - Medical Director - Baltimore Child Abuse Center; Rabbi [[Michael Schudrich]] - Chief Rabbi of Poland - Warsaw, Poland, [[Marci Hamilton]] - Attorney, Professor, Specialties in Constitutional law, First Amendment, Law & Religion, New York, NY, and [[Michael J. Salamon]], PhD. - Author and CEO of Adult Development Center in Hewlett, NY.<ref>[http://theawarenesscenter.org/board.html The Awareness Center's Board of Directors and International Advisory Board]</ref>
</ref> The center's webpage described involvement in a movement to abolish the [[statute of limitations]] for filing civil suit against alleged and convicted sex offenders.<ref name=homepage /> It included documents indicating that its executive director and founder has provided testimony on the topic.<ref>[http://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/2012/07/vicki-polin-on-all-statute-of.html ''Vicki Polin on Statute of Limitation Bills Across the United States'']. 7 July 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2013.</ref><ref>[http://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/2009/04/former-nfl-player-al-chesley-sharing.html ''Former NFL player Al Chesley sharing his story of child molestation on WJZ News'']. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2013.</ref> It included similar documents on a prior iteration of its web page.<ref>Polin, Vicki, [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/PolinSOLMaryland2009.pdf "An Incest Survivor Supports SB238: Child Sexual Abuse - Statute of Limitations"] (2009-02-05). {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>Polin, Vicki. [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/IncestSurvivor.pdf "When You're an Incest Survivor"] (2007-09-25). {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007044139/http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/IncestSurvivor.pdf |date=October 7, 2007 }}</ref>


==Criticism of the center and its director==
==Activities==
The Awareness Center drew sharp criticism for publishing and publicizing rumors, accusations and allegations without verification. The center routinely relied on anonymous blogs and other sources of dubious credibility to profile alleged sexual predators. Some who were listed by name were never sued or charged with any offense, or even accused by a verifiable source.<ref name="Meyer-Greenberg" /><ref name=CAB /><ref name=Rein /><ref name="Catalyst" /><ref name="Voice" />
The organization offers an educational speaker's bureau to address various issues and topics relating to healing and support, including a certification program for [[rabbi]]s, [[Hazzan|cantors]] and other community leaders. To date the speaker's bureau has provided educational programs to college students, Jewish youth and community groups, and at professional conferences.


Rabbi [[Mark Dratch]], chair of the [[Rabbinical Council of America]]'s Task Force on Rabbinic Improprieties and founder of the organization JSafe, which addresses domestic violence and child abuse in the Jewish community, withdrew his support from the center because its use of unreliable sources was victimizing the falsely accused. "I wasn't satisfied with the threshold of verification. There are people who've been victimized and others who've been subject to false reports also being victimized."<ref name="Meyer-Greenberg" />
The Awareness Center has been actively involved in a growing movement to abolish the statute of limitations (SOL) for filing a civil suit against alleged and convicted sex offenders. The goal has been to help survivors of sex crimes to be allowed to have their day in court. Members of The Awareness Center have participated in press conferences and have provided testimony at legislative hearings across the United States. Since 2007, members of The Awareness Center participated in SOL events in Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Washington DC, Wisconsin.


Rabbi [[Avi Shafran]], spokesman for the [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] [[Agudath Israel of America]] group, also criticized the center for using material from anonymous blogs. "The ''blogorai'', as I call it, is the new way of making irresponsible accusations," he said. "Using a blog is a very easy and effective way of casting aspersions on people." Despite his words of general support for the center, Rabbi Yosef Blau agreed, saying "since they are anonymous, they can say almost anything."<ref name="Meyer-Greenberg" />
The Awareness Center's web page includes lists of [http://theawarenesscenter.org/rabbis.html rabbis], [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/professionals.html psychotherapists], [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/lawyer.html lawyers], [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/holistic.html holistic practioners] and [[physician]]s who are sensitive to the needs of sexual trauma survivors,<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/professionals.html
|title=Professionals serving the Jewish community
|accessdate = 2007-02-15
|date=2003-09-12
|publisher=The Awareness Center
}}
</ref> definitions of different types of [[Sex and the law|sex crimes]], and articles published by the center explaining aspects of surviving and reporting such experiences.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/awarenessarticles.html
|title=Articles written by the Awareness Center
|accessdate = 2007-02-15
|date=2006-12-19
|publisher=The Awareness Center}}</ref>


Rabbi [[Tzvi Hersh Weinreb]], executive vice president of the [[Orthodox Union]] and a trained psychologist, said that while the Awareness Center and the blogs "have served the purpose of keeping this in the public spotlight and keeping the pressure on established institutions to police their constituencies... I read everything with a grain of salt."<ref name="Meyer-Greenberg" />
The organization has [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/rabbissupport.html over 260 rabbis] from all around the world who publicly support the organization from every movement of Judaism, which includes Rabbi [[Yosef Blau]], Rabbi [[Reuven Bulka]], and Rabbi [[Gedalia Dov Schwartz]], who is President of the [[Beth Din of America]] (Jewish Religous Court).


Jeff Bell, writing in the July 2008 issue of ''Catalyst'' magazine, went further, accusing the center's director of misusing the organization as a tool for defamation:
Rabbi [[Yosef Blau]], religious adviser at [[Yeshiva University]] and an advocate for survivors of clergy sexual abuse and misconduct, has stated that the website is very valuable "[s]ince you can't get people arrested and there are no court cases, you have to use a standard that's reasonable and [disclosure] works in that context"<ref name="meyer2007">{{cite web
<blockquote>
|url=http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/print.asp?ArticleID=6566&SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4
She now claims to be a victim’s advocate; but her advocacy seems to have taken all the aspects of vigilante misanthrope, and the power of the blog is her weapon. Polin has a singular focus to not only expose, but to destroy the life and reputation of whatever person that falls into her sights, regardless of facts. Any Google search on her name serves up a fairly even return of Polin's attacks on rabbinical leaders, and pages written by victims of Polin's tactics.<ref name="Catalyst" /></blockquote>
|title=Awareness Center a clearinghouse of concern — and controversy
|accessdate = 2007-02-15
|last=Meyer
|first=Eugene L.
|coauthors=Richard Greenberg
|date=2007-01-18
|publisher=[[Washington Jewish Week]]
}}
</ref>.

==Criticism and controversy==
The Awareness Center has not limited itself to listing people who have been convicted of crimes. Some of the people profiled on the website have not been charged with any offense in criminal or civil court.<ref name = "CJN">{{cite web
| url = http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2007/01/19/news/local/dcover0119.txt
| title = Clearinghouse of concern
| accessdate = 2007-12-11
| date = [[January 19]], [[2007]]
| publisher = [http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/ The Cleveland Jewish News]
}}
</ref>


=== Appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show ===
Rabbi [[Mark Dratch]], chair of the [[Rabbinical Council of America]]'s Task Force on Rabbinic Improprieties and founder of the organization [[JSafe]] addressing sexual abuse in the Jewish community, a one-time supporter of the Center, has re-evaluated his position. During a keynote address [http://www.jofa.org/social.php/community/sexualabuse "When Authority Breaks Down: The Abuse of Power"], Rabbi Dratch referred to Ms. Polin and The Awareness Center "as his own personal hero for creating the list of alleged and convicted offenders". [http://www.jofa.org/social.php/community/sexualabuse JOFA 5th International Conference. 2004]. Since then, he resigned from the Awareness Center's advisory board in "disagreement with the organization on the standards required for publishing on her Web site. I wasn't satisfied with the threshold of verification. There are people who've been victimized and others who've been subject to false reports also being victimized. The big problem we have in this area is verifying the allegations and moving forward."<ref name="meyer2007" />
In 1989, before founding the center, Polin was a guest on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]''.<ref name="Catalyst" /><ref name="jewishstar2010">{{cite web|last=Orbach|first=Michael|date=2010-04-23|title=Victims' advocate accused of misconduct|url=http://www.thejewishstar.com/stories/Victims039-advocate-accused-of-misconduct,1683|accessdate=2011-03-21|publisher=[[The Jewish Star (New York)|The Jewish Star]]}}</ref><ref name=PolinExplains /> Appearing under a pseudonym,<ref name="Catalyst" /><ref name="jewishstar2010" /> she claimed that she was a survivor of a secret, Jewish Satanic cult, in which she, her family, and others had sacrificed babies to the devil.<ref name="Catalyst" /><ref name="Voice" /><ref name="jewishstar2010" /><ref name=PolinExplains />


The [[Anti-Defamation League]] (ADL)<ref name="oprah">{{cite web
According to The Awareness Center, Rabbi Dratch has been repeatedly asked to supply a list of names of individuals who he objected being on the organization's web page, as of May 16, 2008, no list has ever been provided. It is also important to note that Rabbi Dratch has no specialized training in the field of sexual violence, nor experience working with sex offenders. His experience has been in the field of domestic violence.
|url= http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-7258438.html
|title=Oprah Winfrey meets with Jewish leaders on Satanic controversy. (Anti Defamation League of B'nai B'rith)
|accessdate= 2010-05-13
|publisher=PR Newswire
}}</ref> and a host of other Jewish organizations<ref name="kelley">{{cite book
| last = Kelley
| first = Kitty
| authorlink = Kitty Kelley
| title = Oprah: A Biography
| publisher = [[Crown Publishing Group|Crown Archetype]]
| location = New York
| year = 2010
| page = 202}}</ref> sharply criticized [[Oprah Winfrey|Winfrey]] for publicizing an obviously false [[Blood libel against Jews#Descriptions of alleged ritual murder|blood libel]] and thereby helping to perpetuate anti-Semitism.<ref name="oprah" /><ref>Gerard, Jeremy, [https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/06/arts/winfrey-show-evokes-protests.html?scp=1&sq=Rachel+Oprah+sacrifice&st=nyt ''Winfrey Show Evokes Protests''], ''New York Times'', (1989-05-06).</ref> Rabbi [[David Saperstein (rabbi)|David Saperstein]] of the [[Religious Action Center]] of [[Union for Reform Judaism#Political outreach|Reform Judaism]] criticized Winfrey in the ''New York Times'' for "insensitive manipulation" of someone who was "clearly mentally ill." He said the result "can only inflame the basest prejudices of ignorant people."<ref name="kelley" /> Footage of the video has been posted to [[YouTube]] and used by anti-Semitic websites to "prove" the existence of Jewish Satanic cults.<ref name="jewishstar2010" />


In 2009, Polin addressed the controversy directly:<blockquote>I have never made it a secret that I am a survivor of child sexual abuse, nor have I hidden the fact that I appeared on several television and radio shows back in the 1980s sharing my story in hopes of reaching out to other survivors and educating the general public about the issues and ramifications child abuse plays on its victims.<br>
Rabbi [[Avi Shafran]], spokesman for the [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] [[Agudath Israel of America]] group, has criticized the center for using material from anonymous blogs.<ref name="meyer2007" />.
Back on May 1, 1989, I appeared on the Oprah Show. I shared the fact that I am a survivor of ritual abuse. The truth is that Oprah originally agreed not to mention that I was Jewish, yet it slipped out. What outraged me the most was not the mistake Oprah made, yet the reaction from the Jewish world that I would speak my truth -- that I would share the fact that Jews also abuse their children at the same rate as those who are non-Jewish.<ref name=PolinExplains>Polin, Vicki, [http://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/2009/04/susan-rosenbluth-harassment-bulling.html ''Susan Rosenbluth - Harassment, Bulling, Extortion: Attempts at Silencing Survivors''] The Awareness Center's Daily Newsletter, 20 April 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2013.</ref></blockquote>
She concluded, "I am sick and tired of the games being played by those in the Jewish Orthodox world who are attempting to discredit myself and The Awareness Center. Their hope is to continue to silence those who deserve to have their voices heard. It's important for us all to become educated consumers, and for the truth to be made public so we can learn, heal, and grow."


She also accused her critics of partiality.<ref name="PolinExplains" />
Rabbi [[Tzvi Hersh Weinreb]], executive vice president of the [[Orthodox Union]] and a trained psychologist, said that while the Awareness Center and the blogs "have served the purpose of keeping this in the public spotlight and keeping the pressure on established institutions to police their constituencies," nonetheless "I read everything with a grain of salt."<ref name="meyer2007" />.


==See also==
When asked Rabbi Weinreb will admit that he has no specialized training in the field of sexual violence, nor experience working with sex offenders.
*[[Takana]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.theawarenesscenter.org The Awareness Center, Inc.]
*[http://www.jewishtimes.com/scripts/edition.pl?stay=1&SubSectionID=30&ID=2678 Baltimore Jewish Times, December 6, 2002] "Schools Try To Prep For Sexual Abuse".
*[http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A12421-2003Feb1&notFound=true Washington Post - Sunday, February 2, 2003]. "Rabbi's Odyssey Reflects Struggle on Sexual Abuse - Jews Begin to Confront Silence That Hid Clergy's Misdeeds". Mentions the work of The Awareness Center, Inc.
*[http://theawarenesscenter.org/inthenews.html#Rabbi Des Moines Register, November 14, 2003]. "Rabbi's visit canceled amid abuse allegations". Mentions the work of The Awareness Center, Inc.
*[http://www.thejewishtimes.com/scripts/edition.pl?now=2/20/2004&SubSectionID=30&ID=3692 Baltimore Jewish Times, February 20, 2004]. Local Activists Hit Orthodox Feminist Conference, by Aviva Richman. Mentions seminar given by Awareness Center president Vicki Polin, "Shattering the Silence: Childhood Sexual Abuse."
*[http://www.rickross.com/reference/clergy/clergy516.html Haaretz, Israel, July 6, 2006], "Defrocked rabbi's Jerusalem lecture cancelled after threats" By Daphna Berman
*[http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?intarticleid=17471&intcategoryid=4 Jewish Telegraph Agency JTA), January 10, 2007], "Reining In Abuse: Awareness Center a clearinghouse of concern and controversy" By Eugene L. Meyer
*[http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.ci.assault19dec19,0,2743575.story Baltimore Sun, December 19, 2007], "Former bar mitzvah teacher charged in abuse" By Melissa Harris
*[http://wjz.com/local/rabbi.molesting.yisroel.2.614587.html CBS News (Baltimore), December 19, 2007], "Rabbi Accused Of Molesting Bar Mitzvah Students" By Adam May
*[http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1198517337184 Jerusalem Post, January 9, 2008]Pedophile suspect extradited from Israel charged in NY by Michal Lando
*[http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/inthenews.html# She Owings Mills Times, January 18, 2008] She founded resource for sex abuse victims" by Bryna Zumer
*[http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/sexual_molestation/bill_will_extend_child_sex_abuse_civil_suits/ Baltimore Jewish Times, February 18, 2008]Special Report: Sexual Molestation. by Barbara Pash
*[http://www.examiner.com/a-1254704~Vicki_Polin__Church_hurts_victims_of_all_faiths.html Baltimore Examiner, March 3, 2008], "Commentary - Vicki Polin: Church hurts victims of all faiths".


{{Pedophilia|state=expanded}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Awareness Center}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Awareness Center}}
[[Category:2001 establishments in the United States]]
<!-- Categories -->
[[Category:Jewish organizations]]
[[Category:Child sexual abuse scandals in Judaism]]
[[Category:Judaism and women]]
[[Category:Jewish charities based in the United States]]
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States]]
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in Illinois]]
[[Category:Rape victim advocates]]
[[Category:Sexual abuse advocacy and support groups]]

Latest revision as of 18:32, 15 February 2024

The Awareness Center
Formation1999
TypeNon-profit
HeadquartersSkokie, Illinois
Founder and CEO
Vicki Polin
WebsiteThe Awareness Center

The Awareness Center, Inc., also known as the international Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault, was a nonprofit institution whose stated mission was to end sexual violence in the Jewish community.[1][2][3] It was praised and criticized for maintaining a website (since disabled) whose policy was to identify Jewish clergy and officials as alleged sexual predators, by name, whether or not they had been charged or sued.[4][5] Critics say the center made unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations.[3][6][7]

History, goals and leadership

[edit]

The Awareness Center was founded by Vicki Polin, a licensed clinical professional counselor, in 2001[3] and incorporated in 2003.[2] It closed for a time in 2011,[8][9] but claimed to resume operations in 2013. The website registration was then allowed to lapse.[10] The center's mission statement listed goals such as the development of an international data base and web page, an international speaker's bureau and an educational certification program for rabbis, cantors and other Jewish communal leaders.[2]

In December 2010, the center claimed the support of more than 260 rabbis from around the world.[11]

Activities

[edit]

The center operated as a volunteer organization.[12] According to its founder, the best way for a victim of sexual abuse to heal is to talk or blog about it.[12]

The organization's brochure indicated that the center provided educational training for survivors groups, community organizations, rabbis, teachers and parents.[13][14] The center's webpage described involvement in a movement to abolish the statute of limitations for filing civil suit against alleged and convicted sex offenders.[1] It included documents indicating that its executive director and founder has provided testimony on the topic.[15][16] It included similar documents on a prior iteration of its web page.[17][18]

Criticism of the center and its director

[edit]

The Awareness Center drew sharp criticism for publishing and publicizing rumors, accusations and allegations without verification. The center routinely relied on anonymous blogs and other sources of dubious credibility to profile alleged sexual predators. Some who were listed by name were never sued or charged with any offense, or even accused by a verifiable source.[3][4][5][6][7]

Rabbi Mark Dratch, chair of the Rabbinical Council of America's Task Force on Rabbinic Improprieties and founder of the organization JSafe, which addresses domestic violence and child abuse in the Jewish community, withdrew his support from the center because its use of unreliable sources was victimizing the falsely accused. "I wasn't satisfied with the threshold of verification. There are people who've been victimized and others who've been subject to false reports also being victimized."[3]

Rabbi Avi Shafran, spokesman for the Orthodox Agudath Israel of America group, also criticized the center for using material from anonymous blogs. "The blogorai, as I call it, is the new way of making irresponsible accusations," he said. "Using a blog is a very easy and effective way of casting aspersions on people." Despite his words of general support for the center, Rabbi Yosef Blau agreed, saying "since they are anonymous, they can say almost anything."[3]

Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union and a trained psychologist, said that while the Awareness Center and the blogs "have served the purpose of keeping this in the public spotlight and keeping the pressure on established institutions to police their constituencies... I read everything with a grain of salt."[3]

Jeff Bell, writing in the July 2008 issue of Catalyst magazine, went further, accusing the center's director of misusing the organization as a tool for defamation:

She now claims to be a victim’s advocate; but her advocacy seems to have taken all the aspects of vigilante misanthrope, and the power of the blog is her weapon. Polin has a singular focus to not only expose, but to destroy the life and reputation of whatever person that falls into her sights, regardless of facts. Any Google search on her name serves up a fairly even return of Polin's attacks on rabbinical leaders, and pages written by victims of Polin's tactics.[6]

Appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show

[edit]

In 1989, before founding the center, Polin was a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show.[6][19][20] Appearing under a pseudonym,[6][19] she claimed that she was a survivor of a secret, Jewish Satanic cult, in which she, her family, and others had sacrificed babies to the devil.[6][7][19][20]

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL)[21] and a host of other Jewish organizations[22] sharply criticized Winfrey for publicizing an obviously false blood libel and thereby helping to perpetuate anti-Semitism.[21][23] Rabbi David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism criticized Winfrey in the New York Times for "insensitive manipulation" of someone who was "clearly mentally ill." He said the result "can only inflame the basest prejudices of ignorant people."[22] Footage of the video has been posted to YouTube and used by anti-Semitic websites to "prove" the existence of Jewish Satanic cults.[19]

In 2009, Polin addressed the controversy directly:

I have never made it a secret that I am a survivor of child sexual abuse, nor have I hidden the fact that I appeared on several television and radio shows back in the 1980s sharing my story in hopes of reaching out to other survivors and educating the general public about the issues and ramifications child abuse plays on its victims.
Back on May 1, 1989, I appeared on the Oprah Show. I shared the fact that I am a survivor of ritual abuse. The truth is that Oprah originally agreed not to mention that I was Jewish, yet it slipped out. What outraged me the most was not the mistake Oprah made, yet the reaction from the Jewish world that I would speak my truth -- that I would share the fact that Jews also abuse their children at the same rate as those who are non-Jewish.[20]

She concluded, "I am sick and tired of the games being played by those in the Jewish Orthodox world who are attempting to discredit myself and The Awareness Center. Their hope is to continue to silence those who deserve to have their voices heard. It's important for us all to become educated consumers, and for the truth to be made public so we can learn, heal, and grow."

She also accused her critics of partiality.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b The Awareness Center Home Page. Retrieved 29 April 2013
  2. ^ a b c The Awareness Center's Mission Statement. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Meyer, Eugene L.; Greenberg, Richard (January 10, 2007). "Awareness Center a Clearinghouse of Concern — and Controversy". Washington Jewish Week. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2010."Some of them have been convicted of crimes; some have not even been charged or sued."
  4. ^ a b Clergy Abuse Archived July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Washington Jewish Week (2007-01-17): "The center has been both criticized and praised for its policy of identifying rabbis and other sexual predators on its Web site, whether or not they have been tried in court."
  5. ^ a b Reining in Abuse, Cleveland Jewish News (2007-01-25).
  6. ^ a b c d e f Trial by Internet: An archetypal spiritual drama, by Jeff Bell, Catalyst magazine, July 2008.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ a b c Rosenbluth, Susan, "Dov Hikind’s Challenge: Who Should Sit — and Who Should Not — on Taskforce Dealing with Sex Abuse in the Frum Community" Archived August 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, The Jewish Voice and Opinion, November 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
  8. ^ Polin, Vicki, As Purim Rolls in The Awareness Center Closes, The Awareness Center, Inc., 17 March 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  9. ^ "The Awareness Center Blog, "Saying goodbye to an era"". Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  10. ^ The Awareness Center Home Page. Retrieved 23 Jan 2016
  11. ^ "Rabbis who Publicly Support the Efforts of The Awareness Center To End Sexual Violence in Jewish Communities Around The World". 24 December 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  12. ^ a b Spence, Rebecca, Rabbi Challenges Right to Anonymity on Internet, The Forward (2006-07-14): "'One of the things most healing to any victim of a serious crime is to talk about it,' said Vicki Polin, founder of The Awareness Center Inc., a volunteer organization that maintains a Web site on sexual abuse in the Jewish community. 'When people start blogging, they realize they’re not alone,' she said."
  13. ^ About The Awareness Center. 12 February 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  14. ^ "Awareness Center Brochure" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 26, 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
  15. ^ Vicki Polin on Statute of Limitation Bills Across the United States. 7 July 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  16. ^ Former NFL player Al Chesley sharing his story of child molestation on WJZ News. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  17. ^ Polin, Vicki, "An Incest Survivor Supports SB238: Child Sexual Abuse - Statute of Limitations" (2009-02-05). [dead link‍]
  18. ^ Polin, Vicki. "When You're an Incest Survivor" (2007-09-25). Archived October 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ a b c d Orbach, Michael (2010-04-23). "Victims' advocate accused of misconduct". The Jewish Star. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
  20. ^ a b c d Polin, Vicki, Susan Rosenbluth - Harassment, Bulling, Extortion: Attempts at Silencing Survivors The Awareness Center's Daily Newsletter, 20 April 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  21. ^ a b "Oprah Winfrey meets with Jewish leaders on Satanic controversy. (Anti Defamation League of B'nai B'rith)". PR Newswire. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
  22. ^ a b Kelley, Kitty (2010). Oprah: A Biography. New York: Crown Archetype. p. 202.
  23. ^ Gerard, Jeremy, Winfrey Show Evokes Protests, New York Times, (1989-05-06).
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