Violence Against Women (VAW) in Israel

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Violence Against Women in Israel

National Problem Overview

Violence against women represents one of Israel’s most persistent and complex social challenges, cutting across ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic lines. The issue has gained renewed urgency following the October 7, 2023 attacks and subsequent war, which have exacerbated existing patterns of domestic violence and created new vulnerabilities for Israeli women.

The scope of the problem is staggering. According to recent studies, 5.3% of women (around 142,000) suffered physical violence at the hands of their partner in the last 12 months, while an estimated 200,000 women in Israel are subjected to domestic violence. These figures represent not just statistics but real women whose lives are marked by fear, trauma, and often life-threatening situations.

Historical Context and Trends

The recognition of violence against women as a serious social issue in Israel has evolved significantly over the past several decades. The establishment of institutional mechanisms to address domestic violence has largely occurred since the 1990s, with most frameworks being developed after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995.

The Israeli Observatory on Femicide, founded by Hebrew University researcher Prof. Shalva Weil, has been instrumental in tracking and documenting patterns of violence against women. Their data reveals troubling consistency in femicide rates, with 20 cases reported in 2024, averaging 1.81 per month. This represents a persistent pattern that has remained relatively stable over recent years, indicating that existing prevention measures have yet to achieve significant impact.

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Impact of Current Conflicts

The ongoing conflict that began on October 7, 2023, has dramatically worsened the situation for Israeli women. Domestic violence rates nearly doubled since Oct. 7, with eight women murdered in 2024, according to experts who have documented how Israel’s war with Hamas has caused a spike in domestic violence. This pattern mirrors historical trends observed during previous Israeli crises, including wars and the COVID-19 pandemic, where domestic violence consistently increases during periods of national stress and uncertainty.

The war’s impact extends beyond increased domestic violence within Israeli society. As of May 27, 2024, out of 1,577 fatalities in the Swords of Iron War, 343 were women, and 1,234 were men, highlighting the gendered impact of the conflict on Israeli society.

Demographic Disparities

The data reveals significant disparities in violence against women across different communities within Israel. Half of the femicide victims were Israeli Arabs, highlighting a disproportionate representation given their 21% share of the population. This overrepresentation points to complex intersections of gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors that create particular vulnerabilities for Arab women citizens of Israel.

The patterns of violence also show that most victims knew their perpetrators, reinforcing the understanding that violence against women is predominantly perpetrated by intimate partners or family members rather than strangers. This reality makes prevention and intervention particularly challenging, as it requires addressing dynamics within private relationships and family structures.

Current Data and Reporting Patterns

Recent comprehensive studies provide a detailed picture of the various forms of violence women experience. Beyond physical violence, around 3.6% of women (approximately 96,000) suffered severe IPV, 8% suffered from sexual violence at the hands of their partner, 9% were harmed by nonphysical violence. These statistics underscore that violence against women encompasses a broad spectrum of harmful behaviors that extend far beyond physical assault.

The reporting and response systems continue to face significant challenges. Women represent 80% of domestic violence victims, yet many cases likely remain unreported due to various barriers including fear of retaliation, economic dependence, social stigma, and lack of confidence in institutional responses.

Hospital trauma data reveals the severe medical consequences of domestic violence. Domestic violence contributes to moderate, severe, and critical injuries in a quarter of abused hospitalized women. Among these women, 20% underwent surgery, demonstrating the life-threatening nature of intimate partner violence and its burden on the healthcare system.

Systemic Challenges and Institutional Response

The institutional response to violence against women faces several structural challenges. While Israel has established various legal frameworks and support services, implementation gaps persist. The complexity of addressing violence against women is compounded by the intersection of civilian and military jurisdictions, diverse religious and cultural communities, and the ongoing security situation.

Recent reports indicate increases in domestic violence complaints, suggesting both rising incidence and potentially improved reporting mechanisms. However, the effectiveness of response systems remains inconsistent, with many women reporting inadequate institutional support when they do seek help.

Sexual Harassment in Military Service

Scope of the Problem

Sexual harassment within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) represents a critical challenge that affects thousands of women serving in mandatory military service. The issue has gained increased attention through comprehensive surveys and state audits that reveal disturbing patterns of harassment and inadequate institutional responses.

The most recent comprehensive data shows alarming prevalence rates. A third of Israeli female soldiers were sexually harassed in 2021, according to a State Comptroller’s report. This represents a significant increase from earlier surveys, though it’s unclear whether this reflects rising incidence or improved reporting and documentation.

Historical Data and Trends

The tracking of sexual harassment in the IDF has evolved significantly over the past decade. Earlier surveys found that one in six female soldiers declared that she had been sexually harassed during her service, based on internal IDF surveys conducted by the Chief of Staff’s Gender Advisor. However, more recent comprehensive assessments suggest the actual rates may be substantially higher.

The increase in reported cases over time may reflect several factors: improved survey methodologies, greater awareness among female soldiers about what constitutes harassment, reduced stigma around reporting, and potentially actual increases in incident rates. Annual reports by the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel show a 91% increase of calls to sexual violence hotlines, indicating growing recognition of the problem.

Institutional Environment and Culture

The military environment contributes to particular vulnerabilities for sexual harassment. Some 60% of female soldiers say there is a sexualized atmosphere in units, while 35% said they were touched or subjected to sexual gestures or leers. This data reveals that sexual harassment exists within a broader culture of sexualization that affects the majority of women serving in the IDF.

The hierarchical nature of military service, combined with the young age of most soldiers (18-21 years old), creates power dynamics that can facilitate harassment while making it difficult for victims to report or seek help. The mandatory nature of service means women cannot simply leave hostile environments, making them particularly vulnerable to persistent harassment.

Severity and Legal Outcomes

The disconnect between reported incidents and legal consequences is stark and concerning. Out of 1,542 IDF sexual assault complaints in 2020, just 31 indictments were filed. This 2% indictment rate from reported cases suggests either extremely high evidentiary standards, systemic bias in case evaluation, or other institutional barriers to prosecution.

The 2020 data breaks down as follows: 1,542 complaints, including 26 cases of rape, 391 obscene acts, and 92 cases of distributing photos and videos. The inclusion of digital harassment through unauthorized distribution of images reflects how sexual harassment in military contexts has evolved with technology, creating new forms of violation and humiliation.

Impact on Military Effectiveness and Women’s Service

Sexual harassment in the IDF has implications beyond individual harm, affecting military readiness and effectiveness. When significant portions of female soldiers experience harassment and lose confidence in institutional support systems, this undermines unit cohesion, morale, and the military’s ability to fully utilize human resources.

The persistence of these problems also raises questions about the IDF’s integration of women into combat and leadership roles. While Israel has been relatively progressive in expanding women’s military roles, the high rates of sexual harassment suggest that cultural and institutional changes have not kept pace with policy changes.

Ongoing Challenges and Reform Efforts

Despite recognition of the problem at the highest levels of military leadership, meaningful reform has been slow. The biennial surveys continue to show troubling patterns, and actual rates of abuse are likely much higher than even the elevated figures captured in formal studies.

The military’s approach to addressing sexual harassment faces several structural challenges. The closed nature of military institutions can shield problems from external oversight, while the culture of hierarchy and discipline that defines military service can work against open reporting of misconduct by superiors or peers.

Current reform efforts include enhanced training programs, revised reporting procedures, and changes to how complaints are investigated and adjudicated. However, the persistence of high harassment rates suggests that these measures have yet to achieve fundamental cultural change within military units.

Violence Against Palestinian Women

Overview of Multiple Vulnerabilities

Palestinian women face a complex web of violence that intersects gender, ethnicity, and political circumstances. This violence manifests across multiple domains: within Israeli society against Arab citizens, within Palestinian communities in Gaza and the West Bank, and through military actions and detention practices. The October 7, 2023 attacks and subsequent war have dramatically intensified these patterns, creating unprecedented levels of suffering and systematic violence.

The scope of violence against Palestinian women encompasses both historical patterns of discrimination and contemporary escalations. Understanding this requires examining multiple perspectives and contexts, each contributing to a broader picture of gender-based violence that affects Palestinian women across different geographical and political spaces.

Violence Against Arab Women Within Israel

Historical Context and Patterns

Over 50% of women murdered by femicide in 2020 and 2021 in Israel were within the Arab Palestinian population, which comprises only 20% of the total population. This stark overrepresentation reflects deep-rooted patterns of discrimination and marginalization that Arab women citizens of Israel face within Israeli society.

Arab-Palestinian women in Israel navigate a complex position within the Israeli ethnic democracy, marked by discrimination against non-Jewish citizens. This discrimination creates particular vulnerabilities for Arab women, who face intersectional challenges as both women and members of an ethnic minority.

The violence against Arab women within Israel occurs through multiple mechanisms. In 2018, an estimated 67 Palestinian citizens of Israel were killed as a result of intra-Palestinian violent crime. In 2021, the number nearly doubled, to 128. While the vast majority of victims (about 84 percent) are men, an increasing number of Palestinian women have also been affected by the increasing violence.

Post-October 7 Escalation

Following the October 7, 2023 attacks, tensions within Israeli society have intensified significantly. According to an Israel Democracy Institute poll conducted a month after the attacks, more than 70 percent of Palestinian citizens of Israel felt more a part of Israel and its issues—an all-time high, yet this has not translated into reduced violence or discrimination.

The aftermath of October 7 has seen increased scrutiny and suspicion directed toward Arab citizens of Israel, creating additional pressures and vulnerabilities for Palestinian women within Israeli society. Reports indicate rising incidents of discrimination and violence, though comprehensive data collection remains challenging due to the ongoing conflict.

Violence Within Palestinian Society

Pre-October 7 Baseline

Before the current conflict, violence against women within Palestinian society was already a significant concern. Almost one in three Palestinian women reported violence by their husbands in 2018-2019, according to a comprehensive survey targeting 12,942 households in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The data reveals troubling patterns of intimate partner violence. Approximately 15% of married women in Gaza experienced incidents of sexual abuse by husbands over the previous year. More than half of these experienced it repeatedly (3+ times). 50% of Palestinian women and 63% of Palestinian men agreed that a woman should tolerate violence.

These statistics point to deeply entrenched cultural and social attitudes that normalize violence against women within Palestinian society. Women and girls in communities impacted by conflict and displacement, i.e. Gaza, Area C and East Jerusalem, tend to suffer from higher incidence of gender-based violence, including more frequent incidents of intimate partner violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, and forced marriage.

Current Situation Under Conflict

The ongoing conflict has severely exacerbated existing patterns of violence against women within Palestinian society. Women and girls were not protected by Palestinian authorities from gender-based violence and discrimination, according to recent human rights reports.

The breakdown of social services, displacement of populations, and economic devastation have created conditions where violence against women has increased while support systems have collapsed. The psychological trauma of war, combined with economic desperation and social breakdown, has intensified domestic violence patterns that were already concerning before the conflict.

Military Violence Against Palestinian Women

Systematic Patterns Since October 7

The most documented and severe escalation of violence against Palestinian women has come through military actions and detention practices since October 7, 2023. Israel has increasingly employed sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence against Palestinians as part of a broader effort to undermine their right to self-determination and carried out genocidal acts through the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities.

At least two female Palestinian detainees were reportedly raped while others were reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence. Photos of female detainees in degrading circumstances were also reportedly taken by the Israeli army and uploaded online.

Scale of Violence in Gaza and West Bank

The scale of violence against Palestinian women in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels. As of 14 January 2025, at least 46,645 Palestinians were killed in Gaza. About 70% of those killed are said to be women and children.

The Commission found an increasing proportion of female fatalities in Gaza, which have occurred at an unprecedented scale as a result of an Israeli strategy of deliberately targeting residential buildings and using heavy explosives in densely populated areas.

The violence extends beyond casualties to systematic sexual and gender-based violence. In December 2024, dozens of Palestinian women and girls reported that sexual abuse were committed against them by Israeli forces during the storming of the Kamal Adwan hospital. They described being forced to undress, strip-searched and sexually harassed. Those who attempted to resist were beaten.

Destruction of Healthcare Infrastructure

A particularly concerning aspect of the violence against Palestinian women has been the systematic targeting of healthcare facilities. The destruction of maternal and reproductive health services has disproportionately affected women and girls, creating long-term health consequences that extend far beyond the immediate conflict period.

The targeting of hospitals and healthcare facilities has been documented as part of a broader pattern of destroying infrastructure critical to women’s health and wellbeing. This includes prenatal care facilities, maternity wards, and reproductive health services, creating a healthcare crisis that particularly affects women.

Comparative Analysis: Before and After October 7

The October 7, 2023 attacks marked a watershed moment in violence against Palestinian women across all contexts. While pre-existing patterns of violence were already concerning, the current conflict has introduced new dimensions of systematic violence while dramatically intensifying existing problems.

Before October 7, violence against Palestinian women was primarily characterized by domestic violence within Palestinian society and systemic discrimination within Israeli society. The baseline data showed significant intimate partner violence, with nearly one-third of Palestinian women experiencing violence from husbands, and disproportionate representation of Arab women in Israeli femicide statistics.

After October 7, these patterns have been overlaid with systematic military violence, widespread detention abuses, and the destruction of social support systems. The scale and systematic nature of current violence represents a qualitative change from pre-conflict patterns, introducing new forms of sexual and gender-based violence while eliminating many of the limited protection mechanisms that existed previously.

The data suggests that Palestinian women now face unprecedented levels of violence across multiple domains simultaneously: increased domestic violence due to conflict-related stress, systematic military violence, and the collapse of institutional protections that previously provided some measure of safety.

Sources and References

Domestic Violence, Femicide
Sexual Harassment in Military Service
Violence Against Palestinian Women
UN Women

Global Database on Violence against Women and Girls

Country Profile
> Israel