Rivka Neumann

Rivka Neumann is the director of the Women's International Zionist Organization's Division for the Advancement of Women

No such thing as 'circumstances of a woman's murder'

As soon as the police and judges internalize the fact that there could be no reasonable explanation for femicide, they will make sure that murderers are punished accordingly.

 

On Sunday morning, another woman in Israel lost her life just because her husband decided she would no longer live.

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He made the decision, acted on it, called the police to confess, then got scared, fled, and was only arrested after crashing his car into the police vehicle in the process.

He will probably be detained until "the end of the proceedings" and be questioned about the "circumstances of the murder." As if there could be any explanation as to what prompted such a cold-blooded act.

The woman will forever be etched in our memory as the victim of the second femicide in Lod in the past week.
For many years we thought to eradicate such explanations of murders as "the result of a lovers' spat" or "killing to protect the honor of the family."

"here is no such thing as "the circumstances of a woman's murder." There is only a murderer who decided to murder. That is it.ย As soon as the police and the judges internalize this, they will make sure that perpetrators are punished accordingly: with life behind bars without the possibility of parole.

When the lives and safety of women become important, legislators will make sure that the restraining orders are actually effective.

When the lives and safety of women become important, the government will make sure to act against violent men.

When the lives and safety of women become important, Israel will join the Istanbul Convention and eradicate violence against women.

According to data, over a million women, men and children in Israel are victims of violence. As many as 600,000 children are imprisoned in the cycle of violence, children that the education system should be aware of as they attend schools.

In 2022, there was a 24% increase in the number of victims of domestic violence who sought medical help. That same year, 24 women were killed, 58% by their husbands.

Is being killed by one's spouse becoming a matter of "when"? We firmly proclaim: "No!"ย Since 2007, the Women's International Zionist Organization and other groups have been promoting legislation to end domestic violence.

In December 2021, the Knesset finally approved a bill that would require judges to send violent individuals who had restraining orders issued against them to behavioral and psychological treatment.

This legislation will save lives. No, the killing of a woman is not a matter of "when," and should not be treated as such.

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