For International Women’s Day 2025, the Rackman Center is appealing to the Israeli government: It’s time to take responsibility and act now to prevent domestic violence by updating the law to create a more effective framework for tackling the abuse of women and children.
On Sunday March 9, the Knesset Legislation Committee discussed new legislation that includes a comprehensive definition of domestic violence. This is important because the current law is blind to certain forms of abusive behaviors such as financial coercion, coercive control, and other forms of domestic abuse. We are calling for the new law to include a uniform, binding and comprehensive definition for the term “domestic violence.” A clear and comprehensive definition would encourage social recognition of abusive behavior in all its forms, which is necessary to create change. It would also enable government bodies and courts to deal with the phenomenon, starting with preventing these various types of abusive behavior, creating solutions and remedies for the victims, and punishing and rehabilitating the perpetrators.
The new bill was drafted by the Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women at Bar-Ilan University in collaboration with Na’amat. It is being proposed by MK Pnina Tamano Shata, Chair of the National Unity party and Chair of the Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women and Gender Equality. Israel’s leading women’s organizations have expressed their support for changing the law, and are lobbying the Knesset Legislation Committee members to support the new bill.
