More than 120,000 women in Israel were harmed by a crime of violence or the threat of violence in 2023 and 32 of them were murdered. This is according to a report published yesterday (Sunday) by the Central Bureau of Statistics, on the occasion of the International Day of the Fight for the Prevention of Violence against Women, which is observed today around the world.
The report also shows that almost one out of every five adult women in Israel was harmed by violence or a crime against them in 2023. More than half a million women, who make up 17.5% of all women aged 20 and over, reported that they were harmed last year by crimes of various types. The CBS data indicates that there is no difference in the rate of victims of sexual harassment between the religious and traditional public and the secular public.
Also according to the data, in 2023 32 women were murdered on criminal grounds or due to their gender – femicide, in 11 of the cases the suspect of the murder is a spouse (34%), in seven cases the suspect is another family member (22%) and in 14 cases the suspect is not relative (44%)
It should be noted that since the beginning of the war, a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of violence against women has been identified in the Vizo organization. The consequences do not remain only in the home arena but affect everyone who comes in daily contact with the victims, especially colleagues at their workplace. In light of the survey data conducted by the organization Witzo launched a campaign calling on employers to take an active part in the fight against the phenomenon under the title “Domestic violence is your business”.
In response to a question addressed to victims of domestic violence in a Vizo survey, it appears that 73% of them “feel protected from violence when they are at work.” 35% report that the violence at home greatly affects their ability to get to work, and many of those who do manage to maintain a work routine report fatigue and lack of concentration, avoidance of professional relationships, decreased work capacity and multiple absences. Only 23% of them asked for assistance from their workplace.
The Edva Center and the Public Housing Forum also published a document on the occasion of the International Day of the Struggle for the Prevention of Violence Against Women, centered on: the difficulty of women and children in the circle of violence to obtain a safe roof over their heads – which is a major barrier against leaving violent relationships. In the absence of a policy that would create alternatives and solutions in the field of housing for these women and their children, many women are forced to continue living in a house that has become dangerous.
In the position paper, the organizations demand the expansion of housing assistance mechanisms for women victims of violence and their children, which was submitted this year to the Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women and Gender Equality in the Knesset.
The joint document calls on the government to recognize victims of domestic violence as entitled to public housing and to significantly expand the rent assistance amounts to which female victims of violence are entitled and to recognize a larger circle of victims of violence as entitled to housing assistance. The government is also required to act actively to exercise rights among victims of violence in general, and among victims of violence in Arab society in particular. It is also proposed to establish that women victims of violence will be entitled to an additional living allowance – until their economic independence is guaranteed.