Weberman's Sexual Assault Victim's Mother Speaks Out: "She Brought Justice. Now Other People Can Come Forward"

New York Daily News
December 13, 2012

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/weberman-sexual-assault-victim-mother-speaks-article-1.1218229?localLinksEnabled=false

Mother of victim who accused Nechemya Weberman of sexual assault poses with a photo of her daughter when she was 7.

A Hasidic counselor was convicted this week of sexually abusing a girl since age 12. On Tuesday, the mother told the Daily News’ Simone Weichselbaum how she learn ed of the abuse and what she thinks of her daughter’s stand. The News is withholding her name to protect the identity of the victim. Here’s the mom’s story:

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She never told me face to face until this got out. She never told me, she never told us.

We got a call from the police station. They said come over right away. I was so shocked. I called my husband right away.

The therapist [at the new school] had called the police. That school made every girl get therapy once a week. My children told me, 'You have to believe her.' She is my youngest.

Her childhood was robbed. She was such a bubbly child.

I lost a couple of years with her. After what she went through hopefully she will pick up.

She wasn't a rebel at all. She was a shy, very smart child. She likes to know. Very bright child. She is a very good child.

The principal (at the Satmar school) could have answered my daughter's questions (about God). Not screamed apikoros (heretic). What, because she asked a question?

My husband called the teacher. He said 'You don't know the answer?’

‘Listen to (my daughter) and say, 'I don't know the answer. I will get it tomorrow and find out and then tell you’.'

They (the teachers) started picking on her. Picking on her!

She would say, ‘The principal hates me. I don't know why.'

A teacher came (to the house) and investigated if I had a computer with Internet. I feel tznius (modest), but not to their extent.

My daughter couldn't take the tights. She hated wearing them.

It had to be Satmar tights. It couldn’t be Spandex. They would feel and touch her tights.

They started picking at her for every little thing. They drove her crazy.

She was afraid. She's not a rebel.

My faith, thank God, it is what helped me through it. I was able to survive.

I wasn't allowed in the court room nor were my kids. The prosecutor is very smart. He saw I couldn't survive hearing all of this.

It was so public. Very embarrassing.

I didn't know if I could resist jumping on (Weberman).

Prominent Orthodox leader Nechemya Weberman at State Supreme Court in Brooklyn after being found guilty by a jury of 59 counts of sexual abuse of a 12 year old girl.

For most of the time I was standing outside the courtroom bursting into tears.

I couldn't stop crying. I had vases of tears filled.

She's our star. I'm at peace now.

In the past three weeks I couldn’t do anything, no laundry, no cooking.

I feel thankful to Hashem (another word for God) that truth and justice came out.

Now at the same time, I have sorrow and pain for his wife and children, they are innocent.

This isn't the whole community. There are good people.

Many people are supporting my husband.

This story is breaking a world record. And my daughter is the one to break it.

She brought justice. Now other people can come forward.

She is studying criminal justice now.

I'm not looking to go now out on the street. My husband went to Daven, to pray. He saw a light flickering in the shul.

He thought it was a bulb ... then all these calls started. People thought they had been blinking the lights in the shul.

I am not scared. They can't throw me out. They can't do anything.”

Contact: sweichselbaum@nydailynews.com