Tie a ribbon to show support for victims of child sexual abuse
Over 60 supporters joined sisters Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meter and Elly Sapper outside the gates of the Adass Israel school in Melbourne whose principal Malka Leifer fled Melbourne to Israel in 2008 ahead of being charged with 74 offences of child sexual abuse.
Ted Baillieu, Nicole Meyer, Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper
The sisters were formerly students at the school and are alleged victims of the abuse.
Dassi Erlich has been spearheading the move to have Leifer extradited to Melbourne. The case has had over 63 hearings in an Israeli court with Leifer, currently in prison, staving a court appearance due to claimed mental health.
On Sunday State MP David Southwick and former Victorian premier Ted Baillieu joined supporters of the sisters in tying ribbons on the school’s fence.
Dassi Erlich posted on Facebook: “I got emotional today, returning to a place where we walked in day after day knowing we were entering a hell we couldn’t escape.
Today we were not alone.
Thank you Loud fence, Ted Baillieu, David Southwick and each and every one of you that turned up to tie a ribbon.
Today, we had a community standing beside us, visibly showing us they cared and were completely ready to stand up for every survivor of sexual abuse.”
Loud fence is a movement which shows support for survivors and victims of sexual abuse. It has never been about protest or us and them. The ribbons give survivors hope and courage. The ribbons show families of victims they are not alone. The ribbons show support to all types of child sexual assault – not just clergy or institutional.
Dassi told J-Wire: “Adass has been really good about the tying of the ribbons.”
An OAM for each of them.
Nowhere near 60 people