Survivors expose alleged ritual sexual abuse networks in ‘Israel’

• Survivors testify in the Knesset about organized sexual abuse networks inside religious communities in ‘Israel’.
• Lawmakers demand a national investigation into institutional cover-ups and police failures.

Survivors of childhood sexual abuse delivered shocking testimony this week before the Knesset, alleging the existence of organized sexual abuse networks that operated for years inside closed religious communities in ‘Israel’, according to Haaretz.

The hearing was held jointly by the Special Committee on Children’s Rights and the Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women. Lawmakers described the session as one of the most disturbing in the history of the Knesset.

The survivors, now in their thirties and forties, said the abuse they endured as children was systematic and organized, involving multiple perpetrators and repeated assaults over extended periods of time.

Abuse masked as religious practice

According to the testimonies, perpetrators allegedly used distorted or fabricated religious rituals as a cover for sexual assaults, including group attacks. Some survivors said the assaults were documented through photographs and video recordings.

Several described extreme physical and psychological violence intended to ensure silence, including electric shocks, chaining, prolonged isolation, and confinement in underground or dark rooms.

The abuse, survivors said, took place in locations central to religious and community life, including private homes, synagogues, religious schools, and cemeteries.

One survivor told lawmakers the abuse amounted to “hell carried out under a religious disguise”, according to Haaretz.

Accusations of institutional protection

Survivors accused religious institutions and community leaders in ‘Israel’ of covering up the crimes for decades to protect community reputations. They said reports were ignored or actively discouraged, while cases were handled internally rather than referred to law enforcement.

Knesset members present at the hearing sharply criticized police and state authorities, saying repeated warnings were not acted upon. Several lawmakers said some alleged perpetrators remain free and continue to serve in educational or religious roles.

“This points to a deep, systemic failure,” one lawmaker said during the session.

Public anger and calls for inquiry

The testimonies sparked widespread public outrage across ‘Israel’, with rights groups and lawmakers describing the revelations as a national scandal.

Committee members warned that the cases revealed may represent only a fraction of a broader phenomenon known as ritual abuse, particularly within insular communities where oversight is limited.

Lawmakers called for an independent national investigation, the reopening of past cases, and major reforms in how sexual abuse allegations are handled within closed religious communities. Further hearings are expected as pressure mounts for accountability.