Letter to me from rabbi Dratch

I wrote to Rabbi Dratch asking him which cases he thought should be removed from the AC website. I told him that some survivors are concerned about his new organization. Here is his response to me, (with his permission to post it).

Dear Naomi:
>
> Thank you for your email and your concern.
>
> I empathize with you and appreciate the hard
> struggle that you must be going
> through as a survivor. I do not know you or your
> story, but I do know that
> the path is not easy, neither while suffering the
> abuse nor after it. I admire
> your strength and stamina.
>
> Vicki is doing many wonderful things with her
> project and has been a source
> of help and inspiration to many through her website
> and its related services.
>
> I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity
> to speak out and write on
> these issues, help some survivors along the way, and
> work for systemic change
> in the Jewish community to help prevent and
> appropriately respond to and help
> those who need it. JSafe was an outgrowth of that
> commitment. My only agenda
> is to help.
>
> I know that there are many different perspectives on
> just about every issue
> that we face. I know that sometimes what is
> important to one segment is
> alienating to another, and vice versa. Advocates
> at times, to some, seem to be too
> "advocatey" (pardon the unsuccessful coining of a
> new word) and establishment
> types at times, to some, too "establishmenty."
>
> As far as the postings are concerned, I understand
> Vicki's point. The
> allegations are usually true, the information needs
> to be out there to help protect
> others and to inspire others to come forward, etc.
> At the same time, others
> are totally alienated from her work because they
> feel that there are no checks
> and balances and that anyone could possibly find
> their names and pictures
> posted (inappropriately) with no recourse, suffering
> untold damages, etc. I don't
> know of an appropriate medium. Neither extreme
> works for me. I know of the
> difficulties and sometimes long lengths of time it
> takes to adjudicate and the
> system often fails. I don't know the answer,
> really. But I think that there
> needs to be some kind of review process that takes
> many factors into account.
> That will ensure greater credibility in the larger
> community for the project
> and will be more ethically sound.
>
> One of my goals for JSafe is to convene a Think Tank
> to explore questions
> like this, and others, with the participation of
> survivors, halachic experts,
> legal experts, ethicists, advocates, etc. and to try
> to articulate policies that
> are appropriate and sound. Then, with this backing,
> advocate those policies
> on a large scale.
>
> I appreciate your comment, "We want to believe in
> you and what you are
> doing." That's why I am doing what I am doing.
> Leaving the pulpit and going into
> this work full time is a risk for me, professionally
> and personally. But I
> believe in it.
>
> Unfortunately, there are misunderstandings and
> misrepresentations out there
> that I will not or cannot respond to. (That's a
> much different conversation.)
> I hope that my track record has proven my
> commitment, sensitivity and
> responsiblity. And I hope that I can use my
> position as a male, as a rabbi and as a
> community leader to help further the cause. Some
> may not like every thing I
> say or do, or the way I say it or do it... I
> understand that and I hope that
> they will understand and appreciate that they have a
> friend and ally and
> supporter in me-- and that together we can make a
> difference for survivors as
> individuals-- and for the community at large.
>
> Anonymous blogs are both wonderfully safe havens for
> peoplemto find help and
> support and, at the same time, spaces for people to
> make uninformed
> conjectures and critiques about things that they
> know little or nothing about. The
> former is great, the latter can be destructive and
> ultimately unhelpful.
>
> Thakns so much for writing. I hope I have answered
> your questions. Please
> feel free to be in touch at any time. I appreciate
> your perspectives and will
> certainly consider them very carefully. It helps me
> to learn, understand and
> see things in ways I need to learn, understand and
> see them.
>
> Mark Dratch