Hundreds of women took to the streets Wednesday morning, May 6, to protest against the recent rise in domestic violence. Participants marched in local demonstrations around the country, from Tel Aviv-Jaffa to Beersheba, Haifa, Jerusalem, Bat Yam, Herzliya, Holon, Lod, Mateh Yehuda, Kiryat Shmona, Rishon Lezion, Rehovot and Ra'anana.
Just last week, two women were murdered by their partners, bringing the nationwide total to five feminicides since the start of the lockdown. Two other women died by suicide after experiencing domestic violence. Protesters at Wednesday’s marches stated that they are "calling on the government to act urgently and to use all the tools at their disposable to prevent the next murder."
The recent wave of domestic violence during the Corona crisis has brought the issue of gendered violence to the forefront of the public agenda. Just this past week, Mastwal Alaza and Tatiana Chaikin were murdered by their partners. Since the start of the epidemic, many Israeli women have been forced to lockdown in their homes with their abusers.
Recently, two women died by suicide after suffering domestic violence, while nine women and a ten-month-old toddler were murdered by male relatives or partners. Five women have been murdered in the seven weeks since a lockdown was announced in response to the COVID-19 epidemic. Hotlines and shelters all over the country are reporting not only a rise in the number of inquiries, but also the added difficulty of providing a safety net for women experiencing domestic violence since the national lockdown began.
If you or someone you know is experiencing violence at home during the lockdown, call 118 or send a text message to 055-7000128. Advocates are available to talk 24/7.
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Brought to press with the help of the International Relations Division of the Histadrut