Full Description
The child sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church have been part of the national discourse for the past several years. However, while it’s tempting, even convenient, to believe that this problem is confined to one particular community, the truth is that any community can fall victim to this scourge. Standing Silent profiles the heroic efforts of Phil Jacobs, a reporter for the Baltimore Jewish Times, as he relentlessly pursues sexual predators, including prominent rabbis and community leaders, in Baltimore’s insular Orthodox Jewish community. But rather than being celebrated for his efforts, Jacobs, an observant Jew, instead faces ostracism from a community more intent on shielding itself from external scrutiny than on protecting its young people from abuse. Recipient of a Sundance Documentary Filmmaker Grant, this taboo-breaking film captures the unwavering commitment of Jacobs and the survivors who have put their trust in him as together they strive to bring this problem out of the shadows, where the larger community prefers it remain, and into the light where the guilty can be confronted and justice served.
