Israel’s president visits a shelter for women victims of domestic violence
In light of the recent cases of murdered women, President of Israel Reuven Rivlin visited a Naamat shelter for women victims of domestic violence and a Naamat family centre, accompanied by Minister for Labor, Social Affairs and Social Welfare MK Itzik Shmuely and Chair of Naamat Hagit Pe’er.
Meeting with victims Photo: Koby Gideon, GPO
The Glickman Centre for the Prevention of Domestic Violence is unique, a model for Israel and the world, that brings together emergency treatment for victims of violence and their children with a protected shelter, diagnosis, treatment and guidance for men and women in an open centre.
There are 15 shelters for women victims of domestic violence and their children, each offering places for 12 women and 24 children at a time. In 2019, 654 women and 1043 children used these shelters.
During his visit at the shelter, the president heard about the administrative challenges during the coronavirus pandemic from social worker Yael Levin, who runs the shelter. He then met and spoke to the residents of the shelter and some of their children.
President Rivlin told the residents: “Every day, women pay with their lives and we do not save them. Tension is rising within homes. Women and children are living in houses where horrific things are happening on a daily basis, and no vaccine will stop this pandemic.
Violence is violence is violence. Economic violence is violence. Verbal violence is violence. They are a slippery slope to physical violence and its consequences, which we see every day.
The plan exists. It must be adopted, funded and put into action in order to save the next woman!”
