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Hub AI
The Awareness Center AI simulator
(@The Awareness Center_simulator)
Hub AI
The Awareness Center AI simulator
(@The Awareness Center_simulator)
The 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. 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. Critics say the center made unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations.
The Awareness Center was founded by Vicki Polin, a licensed clinical professional counselor, in 2001 and incorporated in 2003. It closed for a time in 2011, but claimed to resume operations in 2013. The website registration was then allowed to lapse. 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.
In December 2010, the center claimed the support of more than 260 rabbis from around the world.
The center operated as a volunteer organization. According to its founder, the best way for a victim of sexual abuse to heal is to talk or blog about it.
The organization's brochure indicated that the center provided educational training for survivors groups, community organizations, rabbis, teachers and parents. 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. It included documents indicating that its executive director and founder has provided testimony on the topic. It included similar documents on a prior iteration of its web page.
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.
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."
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."
The 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. 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. Critics say the center made unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations.
The Awareness Center was founded by Vicki Polin, a licensed clinical professional counselor, in 2001 and incorporated in 2003. It closed for a time in 2011, but claimed to resume operations in 2013. The website registration was then allowed to lapse. 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.
In December 2010, the center claimed the support of more than 260 rabbis from around the world.
The center operated as a volunteer organization. According to its founder, the best way for a victim of sexual abuse to heal is to talk or blog about it.
The organization's brochure indicated that the center provided educational training for survivors groups, community organizations, rabbis, teachers and parents. 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. It included documents indicating that its executive director and founder has provided testimony on the topic. It included similar documents on a prior iteration of its web page.
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.
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."
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."