How does the media represent institutional child sexual abuse within Jewish communities? A case study of the Malka Leifer court case

Abstract

Concerns about institutional child sexual abuse within Jewish communities have been documented in two recent national inquiries into child sexual abuse, in Australia, and England and Wales. Yet to date, there has been little analysis of how media reporting informs public awareness of these concerns, and potential programme and policy responses. This paper examines media reports of the high-profile case of ultra-orthodox Jewish school principal Malka Leifer who was found to have sexually abused several girls in her school in Melbourne, Australia. It draws on five Australian media publications (two specifically Jewish and three mainstream newspapers), from the initial committal hearing in September 2021 until the completion of her trial and conviction in July 2023. Our findings highlight the importance of child safety processes as being aligned with the specific religious and cultural context of faith-based communities in order to be effective in preventing institutional child sexual abuse.