The Israeli Independent Public - Abstract of the Inquiry Report - December 2021

Professor Carmit Katz A faculty member at the Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, and director of research at the Haruv Institute. Prof. Katz is the founder and director of the inquiry. She studies child abuse, and as part of her work she strives to combine

academic research, the promotion of services for child abuse survivors, and activism for policy change. For her social activism she was granted Tel Aviv University’s Inspiring Scientist Award for 2016 and the Bob Shapell Award for Contribution to Social Policy in 2017. Prof. Katz is the founder and director of the International Group of Scholars Protecting Children from Maltreatment During COVID-19. The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) recognized the group as a leader in promoting the safety of children during a global pandemic. Prof. Katz is also the chief editor of the International Journal of Child Maltreatment and associate editor of the journal Child Abuse and Neglect. “In the years I’ve been working and studying the field of child abuse, I’m always amazed by the powerful influence of the social response on the lives of children and adults who suffered sexual abuse. Throughout their lives, the survivors carry a burden of shame and guilt, and I ask myself: Shame? Guilt? The shame is ours as a society for not having protected them, the guilt is ours as a society for not having given them what they deserve, the responsibility is entirely ours! And this is precisely why I founded the inquiry – to turn attention to the life stories of the survivors, change the focus of responsibility, transfer the focus to society and its policy makers; and to effect a change, so that children in Israel can lead safer lives and are treated with respect by all those around them.”

The Israeli Independent Public Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

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