Breaking the Silence in Israel

By EMILY GUNSBERGER

When we hear the word rape we sometimes think of an extreme situation that only appears in the newspaper. We imagine that rape is a distant occurrence, something that you hear about but never talk about. The truth is that rape is something that happens in our communities and sometimes within our own families. The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI) was formed because the social construct of denial and silence about rape became intolerable. The ARCCI was established in 1990 with the express purpose of combating sexual violence in Israel.

Located in Jerusalem, the heart of Israel, the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel extends around the country and the globe. The ARCCI is a non-profit organization that is financially independent and structurally autonomous. The ARCCI does fundraising, legal work, legislative activities, and media outreach. The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel is an umbrella organization that represents and works together with the ten Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (RCCs). The ten individual Rape Crisis Centers can be reached 24 hours a day by dialing 1202 from any telephone within the country. These centers, run mainly by volunteer work, help individual survivors and their families in any ways possible. This service along with the Victim/Witness Assistance Program offers an outlet for people to voice their silence and speak out against crimes that are oftentimes compressed. The ARCCI and RCC's are sensitive to the needs of the unique Israeli demographics. There are separate services for religious women, men, Arab people, as well as multi-lingual hotlines. The statistics taken from the hotlines are used to publish the Annual Report of Sexual Violence in Israel; a resource valued for its efficacy and used extensively within the political and legal realms. The legal branch of the ARCCI works diligently in the political arena to promote proactive legislation. The public relations department of the ARCCI works closely with media to raise public awareness. Closely connected to the media, parliamentary committees, the court system and the Knesset, the ARCCI has helped create awareness and pass more effective laws. The combined efforts of the various departments and people working for a common goal to end sexual assault have been quite successful in many ways.

The fact remains that we live and work in a society where sexual violence exists and is often times denied. By encouraging survivors to speak out and supporting victims throughout the legal and healing processes, the ARCCI is showing people that these crimes really do happen to real people. The problems of rape, silence, ignorance, incest and the like that infiltrate the Israeli society are problems that also affect Jewish communities all around the world. It is essential that the ARCCI work hard to remain strong and to grow even stronger so these problems become recognized as such and ultimately erased. By creating a legal, political and social infrastructure that refuses such malevolence, the ARCCI is changing the way people think and act.

If you would like to learn more about The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel or would like to make a donation, please visit the web site www.1202.org.il or contact Michal Ballas by email at michal@igud1202.org.il.