After months of threats and coercion by haredi rabbis kept alleged victims from cooperating with police, the criminal investigation into alleged sex abuse of haredi women by Rabbi Chaim Halpern has been dropped.
Rabbi Chaim Halpern
Police Drop Investigation Into Haredi Rabbi’s Alleged Abuse
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
After months of threats and coercion by haredi rabbis kept alleged victims from cooperating with police, the criminal investigation into alleged sex abuse of haredi women by Rabbi Chaim Halpern has been dropped.
Police would only say that they could "confirm that all allegations have been fully investigated" and that the investigation had been dropped, The JC reported. But police also added that, “anyone who believes they have been a victim of crime should report this to police" – according to some, a quiet plea for alleged victims willing to go to court to come forward.
The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (Kedassia) will now need to decide whether to reconvene the special beit din (Orthodox religious court) looking into Halpern’s alleged abuses or let the matter lie. That beit din investigation was suspended during the police investigation.
Apart from that beit din, senior haredi rabbis have heard several women graphically describe the abuse they say they suffered from Halpern, who acted as an unlicensed marriage counselor for the hasidic community of Golders Green, London.
[Hat Tip: The Fez.]