Outcry

After taking  a break to allow this episode's guest to recover from COVID, and for us to discuss the dangers of letting abuse enablers like Leslie Wexner and others off the hook too easy, we're finally please to invite Detective Rory Forrestal on the podcast to discuss the law-enforcement side of CSAM cases. Detective Forrestal has decades of experience in the field, both working within and running departments across New York State focused on bringing people who produce, possess, and distribute Child Sexual Abuse Materials to justice.

In this episode we do a deep dive with Detective Forrestal on what CSAM is, and bust a number of common misconceptions about it and the people who engage in its production, possession, and distribution. We also discuss the various kinds of scenarios that can be considered CSAM, how people engaging in CSAM are caught, and what avenues to justice are available to to CSAM survivors.

Banter ends at 9:15.

To learn more about ZA'AKAH or to donate, visit our website at https://zaakah.org

To get in touch with questions, comments, or any other concerns related to Outcry, email us at [email protected]

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SHOW NOTES:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rory-forrestal-983b3833

https://nypost.com/2006/03/07/undercover-with-online-perv-patrol-sex-predators-are-suffolk-cops-prey/

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/capital-tonight-interviews/2018/06/06/polenberg--forrestal--child-victims-act

Last episode we said we would be bringing on a law enforcement expert in Child Sexual Abuse Materials cases to answer questions about the Belitz, Steen, and Keil cases, and that's still going to happen, but unfortunately he came down with COVID and we had to push his interview off to next episode. This week we invited Sara Rosenberg, founder of the Jewish Survivors Forum, on to discuss the issue of abuse enabling, rape apologism, and rape culture in the frum community and what we can do to combat it.

In this episode we discuss the response to the flashing incident that happened this past Sunday on Flatbushgirl's Instagram Live, and then we get into a discussion about abuse enablers like Leslie Wexner, why people shouldn't take money from the Wexner foundation and other dirty-money donors like Michael Steinhardt, and discuss the issue of abuse enablers in our community. This might be an uncomfortable discussion for some who have accepted money from the people we discuss in this episode, but the only way we'll ever rid our community of abuse is if we contend with the people who protect the abusers.

To learn more about ZA'AKAH visit our website at https://zaakah.org

To get in touch with questions, comments, or any other concerns related to Outcry, email us at [email protected]

Follow us on our socials to stay informed:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/zaakah
Twitter: @zaakahny
Instagram: @zaakahig
TikTok: @zaakahny

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.amazon.com/When-Rabbis-Abuse-Dynamics-Culture-ebook/dp/B0B15QQ3DX

In last week's episode we began discussing the case against Leo Keil, a Philadelphia-based pedophile who was arrested and convicted for possessing and distributing hundreds of horrific images and videos of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM) over IRC chats. Aside from just sharing these materials, Keil would hang around in chatrooms dedicated to sharing and discussing CSAM, and would actively encourage other people to sexually abuse children.

This week we pick up with the prosecution's descriptions of how Keil tried covering his tracks, how he tried blaming his crimes on a brand new autism diagnosis, and how he tried to hoodwink the experts brought in to evaluate him. We also get into the community's response to his arrest and conviction, and how they failed to adequately warn their members about Keil even after his conviction.

Banter ends at 8:05

To learn more about ZA'AKAH visit our website at https://zaakah.org

To get in touch with questions, comments, or any other concerns related to Outcry, email us at [email protected]

Follow us on our socials to stay informed:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/zaakah
Twitter: @zaakahny
Instagram: @zaakahig
TikTok: @zaakahny

SHOW NOTES: 

https://www.facebook.com/zaakah/posts/pfbid02SsBmAueswf6681RtG9nU3STCj6QXiPKwRJh4PwuQQSTP9TwLsMEpsNZm6Zdcfm19l

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rory-forrestal-983b3833

In the wake of the case in Baltimore involving former TAG director and Bnos Yisroel STEM teacher, Zev Steen, being arrested for possession, distribution, and possibly creation of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM), we'll be covering a similar case involving Leo Keil, a member of the Philadelphia Jewish community who was arrested and plead guilty to possession and distribution of CSAM.

Keil wasn't just a pedophile downloading and uploading CSAM, he was a real pedophile's pedophile, providing advice to other pedophiles who wanted tips on how to abuse children, support to people on the fence about pedophilia, encouraging them to consume CSAM and act on their desires, and even sending CSAM to people who identified as children online.

This episode is disturbing, so it comes with a big trigger warning for CSAM and some graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse.

Banter ends at 4:20

To learn more about ZA'AKAH visit our website at https://zaakah.org

To get in touch with questions, comments, or any other concerns related to Outcry, email us at [email protected]

Follow us on our socials to stay informed:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/zaakah
Twitter: @zaakahny
Instagram: @zaakahig
TikTok: @zaakahny

SHOW NOTES: 

https://www.facebook.com/zaakah/posts/d41d8cd9/4718624724911726/

Nechemia Weberman is one of the most well-known sexual abusers in the history of the Orthodox Jewish community. His trial helped start ZA'AKAH and for many was the first time they were forced to contend with the reality and prevalence of sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community. Following his conviction on 87 counts of sexual abuse for repeatedly sexually assaulting his 12 year old client, Weberman and his legal team began filing appeals.

In our last episode we covered the more technical aspects of his appeal. In this episodes we get into the alternate theories his appellate team presented to counter the facts and narrative of the case that resulted in his conviction. Many of these arguments were asinine, offensive, and deliberately ignorant, and we break them down and offer background and context on why they were so ridiculous.

This is the final episode in the Weberman series.

Banter ends at 14:26.

To learn more about ZA'AKAH visit our website at https://zaakah.org

To get in touch with questions, comments, or any other concerns related to Outcry, email us at [email protected]

Follow us on our socials to stay informed:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/zaakah
Twitter: @zaakahny
Instagram: @zaakahig
TikTok: @zaakahny

Weberman's sentence to 103 years of prison for sexually abusing his 12 year old client was not the end of the case. Almost immediately an appeal was filed in state court to overturn the sentence. Both his first and second appeals were denied, and he is currently appealing the decision in federal court.

In this episode we get into the weeds on his appeals, what his claims are, why they're wrong, and what the judges had to say about them. Because there's so much in the appeal this will have to be another two-parter.

Banter ends at 4:57.

To learn more about ZA'AKAH visit our website at https://zaakah.org

To get in touch with questions, comments, or any other concerns related to Outcry, email us at [email protected]

Follow us on our socials to stay informed:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/zaakah
Twitter: @zaakahny
Instagram: @zaakahny
TikTok: @zaakahny

SHOW NOTES: 

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21890628-commutation-pardon-correspondence-1

https://www.thecity.nyc/2022/5/9/23064328/brooklyn-da-cumo-sentence-commute-request

Modeled after the Child Victims Act, the New York State legislature passed the Adult Survivors Act in May of 2021. The new law opens a one-year lookback window during which any adult survivors of sexual assault whose case had previously been barred by the statute of limitations can sue their abuser or anyone who enabled their abuse in civil court.

In this episode we sit down with Linda B. Rosenthal, the New York State Assembly sponsor who championed both the Child Victims Act and the Adult Survivors Act in the Assembly. We get into the weeds about the new law, answer some questions from our audience, and discuss the background and history of this law and the fight to pass it.

The Adult Survivors Act window opens on November 24th. If anyone has any questions for us or for Assembly Member Rosenthal, email them to [email protected].

If you're a survivor and you're interested in pursuing a case against your abuser, email us at [email protected].

To learn more about ZA'AKAH visit our website at https://zaakah.org

To get in touch with questions, comments, or any other concerns related to Outcry, email us at [email protected]

Follow us on our socials to stay informed:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/zaakah
Twitter: @zaakahny  
Instagram: @zaakahny
TikTok: @zaakahny

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.zaakah.org/asa

https://www.safehorizon.org/programs/adult-survivors-act-qa/

In our last episode we covered the beginning of the Weberman trial from his arrest to his victim's harrowing testimony and cross-examination in court, the fundraiser held for Weberman that raised $500,000 for his defense, and a few of the many instances of backlash and intimidation against the victim by the community.

In this episode we'll talk about the rest of the trial and Weberman's conviction and sentencing. Aside from undermining his lawyer's carefully crafted defense, a number of Weberman's supporters were arrested during the trial for attempting to intimidate the witness inside the courtroom! We also finally get into Lemon Juice and what happened with him during the trial.

While Weberman was convicted and given a very hefty sentence, the backlash against the victim and her family did not end. It intensified against them and the victim's supporters.

Banter ends at 3:24

To learn more about ZA'AKAH visit our website at https://zaakah.org

To get in touch with questions, comments, or any other concerns related to Outcry, email us at [email protected]

Follow us on our socials to stay informed:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/zaakah
Twitter: @zaakahny
Instagram: @zaakahny
TikTok: @zaakahny

SHOW NOTES

As with last episode, given the multitude of links for this episode we've linked below instead to a document containing all the show note links.

Outcry Episode 4 Show Notes

A lot happened during the trial of Nechemya Weberman. A wildly successful fundraiser for an alleged pedophile, half a million dollar bribe declined and reported, 4 people arrested for witness intimidation, family retaliated against, businesses destroyed, and a victim publicly humiliated by one of the leaders of her community. But while this is certainly a story of a community unleashing hell upon a young girl who dared to report her rapist, it's also a story of her incredible courage and resilience in the face of unfathomable backlash.

In this episode we cover the trial of Nechemya Weberman, from the time of his arrest to his sentencing. While Outcry generally comes with a trigger warning, this episode in particular is graphic and people who may be sensitive to hearing graphic descriptions of sexual abuse should exercise self-care.

Since it was requested, the beginning banter ends at 3:00.

Show Notes: 

Because there's so much material for this week's show notes, they're going to be linked in a Word document. 

Outcry Episode 3 Show Notes

In 2012 an unlicensed Chassidish therapist in Williamsburg, Brooklyn was arrested for repeatedly sexually abusing his 12 year old client over the course of three years. She had originally been sent to him by the Va'ad Hatznius, a modesty enforcement board in the Satmar community. Weberman's trial was the first time the Chassidish community in Williamsburg was really forced to contend with the issue of sexual abuse, especially given the large protest ZA'AKAH held outside a community fundraiser on behalf of the accused rapist.

In this episode we cover the events leading up to the trial and give some background on the community, Weberman himself, and his victim.

To learn more about ZA'AKAH visit our website at https://zaakah.org

To get in touch with questions, comments, or any other concerns related to Outcry, email us at [email protected]

Follow us on our socials to stay informed:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/zaakah
Twitter: @zaakahny
Instagram: @zaakahny
TikTok: @zaakahny

Show Notes:

https://docshare.tips/my-cousin-nechemya_5827b3a0b6d87f423b8b4953.html

https://nypost.com/2011/02/24/rabbi-charged-as-perv/

https://www.thedailybeast.com/nechemya-weberman-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-girl-he-was-counseling

https://gothamist.com/news/hasidic-principal-on-alleged-sex-abuse-victim-her-modesty-was-not-like-the-other-girls

https://journalism.blog.brooklyn.edu/teen-accusing-hasid-of-sex-abuse-traumatized-witness-testifies/