LA Jews deny harbouring Australian abuser

A JEWISH welfare agency in Los Angeles has slammed reports in Fairfax newspapers that it is shielding an Australian man accused of child sexual abuse in this country.

It was reported in the Fairfax press on Wednesday that Debbie Fox, who is the director of children and family services at the Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles (JFSLA), admitted in an email that her organisation is knowingly harbouring an alleged child abuser from Sydney.

A spokesperson for the JFSLA told The AJN Fox was contacted by a victim for assistance and that the organisation is not protecting the alleged abuser. The spokesperson also stated that the alleged abuser was never a client nor an employee of the JFSLA. “At the victim’s request, she [Fox] served as a liaison between the council, the victim, and the alleged perpetrator,” the spokesperson said.

The AJN was first alerted to the allegations in November 2011, when it received an email from a member of the LA community.

The email alleged that the leadership of Aleinu, an organisation within the JFSLA, offered the alleged child abuser counselling after admitting to his crimes, but they didn’t contact the police.

JFSLA’s spokesperson has refuted those claims.

“There was nothing reportable to law enforcement because Fox was never made directly aware of specific incidents that had occurred in Australia decades earlier, nor did the alleged perpetrator admit to her to any crimes or specific actions.

“At no time did Aleinu staff ever shield a suspect from local or international law enforcement in any way whatsoever, nor would they ever do so,” the spokesperson said.

JOSHUA LEVI