Last week, we participated in a discussion organized by the Knesset Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women. Two organizations, partners in the fight against domestic violence, presented their findings from recent studies:
The Michal Sela Forum presented data on the economic costs of femicide, showing that it is more profitable from an economic perspective for the state to take preemptive action to prevent the next murder.
The Women’s Lobby presented data on the impact of the current war on domestic violence. It shows a worrying increase in the scale of violence in families where one or both partners are IDF Reservists.
The meeting included representatives of various government ministries, who addressed the importance of violence-prevention activities, including education and treatment (including psychological interventions) and the protection of threatened women. The International Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention) emphasizes the importance of active prevention of domestic violence.
Members of the current Israeli government have prevented Israel’s adoption of this Convention, claiming that it is unnecessary because domestic laws can be independently enacted to combat and prevent domestic violence. The time has come to prove that this is true.
We call for the enactment of a law that defines domestic violence in a uniform and broad manner, and applies all possible tools to eradicate it.
