Domestic violence on the rise

WIZO NSW received a disturbing report from Israel on the weekend – that Covid-19 has seen an 800% increase in domestic violence complaints, and a 26% increase in requests for help from domestic violence victims to social and victims welfare centres and shelters.

Anita Friedman, World WIZO Chairperson was quoted as saying

“The findings are grave and require immediate and deep reforms.”

Anita  continued by saying that 200,000 women are living with domestic violence/abuse. This in real terms means 600,000 children – so just under a million people living in Israel RIGHT NOW, with this terrible daily threat in their lives. It’s simply unimaginable.

Anita concluded the interview by saying that she would be looking to the new government to take this matter seriously, and to make sure that a proper solution is found as a matter of great urgency.

WIZO is leading the battle in both domestic violence and gender-based violence, in education, prevention, treatment, legislation and advocacy. Our shelters and half way houses are all over Israel, and the need is constant. We will bring you more on this as Israel updates us.

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Dear chaverot, WIZO members around the world,

Yesterday, Israel’s State Comptroller (מבקר המדינה) published a harsh report on government handling of the problem of domestic violence.

WIZO Chairperson Anita Friedman was interviewed by i24 News on the report – you can watch the interview here.

Anita was also quoted in the Jerusalem Post article on the State Comptroller’s report.

For Hebrew speakers, here is radio interview with Rivka Neuman, director of WIZO Israel’s Division for the Advancement of Women. Rivka’s interview begins at 40:20.

Finally – please have a look at the photo used in the i24 article on the report on the latest murder of a woman, yesterday in Haifa.

WIZO leads the battle in Israel against domestic and gender-based violence, in education, prevention, treatment, legislation, and advocacy.