Thursday, October 08, 2015 05:56PM, ABC7News

Islamic groups urge victims of sex abuse to come forward

Islamic leader Mohammad Abdullah Saleem is facing new sexual abuse allegations. Mohammed Abdullah Saleem, 76, a prominent imam who founded the Institute of Islamic Education in Elgin, turned himself in Wednesday morning at the Elgin police station, where he was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor, said Elgin police Lt. Rick Ciganek. In February, Saleem was charged with criminal sexual abuse after a 23-year-old woman accused him of sexual misconduct while they worked together at the school.

As new allegations of sexual abuse surface against a prominent Islamic leader in the suburbs, organizations speak out against the abuse of children and women.

“We are training the frontline leaders, the imams at different mosques and principals, how to recognize and how to react when sexual abuse issues are brought to them,” Mohammed Kaiseruddin, Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, said.

Representatives from several Muslim organizations speak out about what’s being done to protect and prevent sexual abuse at religious institutions and schools.