Q&A: A Painful and Shame-Filled Question
A Painful and Shame-Filled Question
Question
A relative of mine, a clinical psychologist in the Haredi sector, sent me a question.
Her patient suffered sexual abuse when she was a minor at the boarding school where she grew up, by a female staff member.
According to the law, in court she would receive 500,000 NIS.
But she preferred to turn to a religious court so as not to ruin the abuser’s life, and perhaps for other reasons as well.
She approached the religious court and asked for reimbursement for the cost of her psychological treatments for the past year and for the coming years.
The rabbi told her that he needs to clarify what she is entitled to according to Jewish law.
In the Rabbi’s opinion, is her demand excessive?
Too low?
What should she demand?
Answer
She is definitely entitled to even more. In Jewish law as well there is payment for medical treatment (in addition to pain and humiliation), and she is also permitted to demand whatever the law requires.