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Violence Against Women - Just Because They're Women! |
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Violence Against Women - Just Because They're Women! |
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| 26/11/2002 |
On November 25, Israel, along with the rest of the world, marks the struggle to end violence against women.
Despite being one of the most advanced countries in the world in the field of treatment in this area, 26 women were murdered by their partners, ex-partners or other family members in the year 2002.
It must be emphasized that, every day, hundreds of women and their children are rescued, receive aid, are rehabilitated, and begin new lives without violence and fear. They are helped by:
1. 13 shelters for battered women operated by women's organizations, and fully funded through the State budget. Women arrive at the shelters through Centers for the Treatment and Prevention of Violence in the Family and social services offices run by local municipalities. In cases of emergency, the police or hospital emergency rooms refer women to the shelters.
2. 51 Centers for the Treatment and Prevention of Violence in the Family help battered women break the cycle of violence, and teach abusive men new modes of behavior. The centers operate all over the country, and are run by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in conjunction with women's organizations.
The centers provide the following services:
- Diagnosing dangers
- Providing referrals to shelters for battered women in times of emergency
- Support for the victim
- Instructions for receiving legal aid
- Treatment for the attacker
- Treatment for children who witness the violence
3. 10 Aid Centers for the Victims of Sexual Assault operate around the country. The Centers provide initial aid in the hour of crisis, accompany victims to the police station, conduct support workshops for the victims, and direct them to long-term mental health care. Tel: 1202
4. A countrywide emergency phone line for the prevention of violence in the family and children in danger provides guidance to victims of violence, and directs them to the proper authorities around the country. Tel: 1-800-22-0000
Sexual Harassment as an Expression of Violence
This year, the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women has decided to focus on raising awareness of sexual harassment in the family, the workplace, on public transportation, at places of entertainment, and on the street.
Harassment is violence. Sexual Harassment is injurious. Women and girls have the right to live with a feeling of freedom, security and well-being. We must all do what we can to expose this hidden and insulting phenomenon. Legitimizing the right to speak up, in cooperation with the proper authorities is the first step to overcoming and defeating this phenomenon.
Surveys conducted by the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women provided the following results:
On public transportation:
--Half of all women use public transportation on a regular basis, mainly the bus.
--The younger the women are, the higher their percentage who travel by bus: 84% of girls between the ages of 14 and 17, and 74% of women between the ages of 18 and 20.
--One out of five women has witnessed sexual harassment or an indecent act on public transportation.
--One out of four women has experienced sexual harassment or an indecent act on public transportation.
--Mainly women between the ages of 16 and 30 have been sexually harassed on public transportation.
--20% of women are afraid of sexual harassment or indecent acts on public transportation.
In order to provide women and girls with a feeling of safety on public transportation, the Authority for Public Transportation Companies and the Ministry of Transportation have joined together in a campaign to heighten the awareness of women and girls as to their right to personal safety on public transportation.
In the Workplace:
--15% of working women report that they have encountered sexual harassment in their workplace within the past year.
--11% of hired workers and 15% of public sector report employees that they have witnessed sexual harassment of women by men.
--82% of the women recommend that women who are sexually harassed in the workplace should complain; 85% of the men concur.
--73% of the men and 75% of the women were not aware of the Law to Prevent Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.
To increase awareness in the Law to Prevent Sexual Harassment, the Authority will distribute a set of rules in accordance with the law, to public and private places of employment
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