New plan to aid crime victims excludes domestic violence cases

Israel marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women yesterday with a conference organized by the Women's International Zionist Organization at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.

"Imagine what would happen if, at a conference for women, someone had thrown a grenade inside and murdered 15 women," said opposition leader MK Tzipi Livni (Kadima), one of the speakers, referring to the number of women actually killed by domestic violence this year. "There would be a great deal of shock. The square would fill with people. Everyone would wonder how a single assassin could claim the lives of 15 women."

"The message that needs to be sent is that every woman ... can do what she wants with her life," Livni concluded. "Women are not the weak link."

This week saw other significant tidings for the families of the murdered women: The government approved a program to help families of murder victims cope and get on with their lives. However, this plan will not help those who were merely physically or sexually abused, rather than killed. They will still need to cope all by themselves. Nor will the program help most past victims; it applies only to future victims.

The plan, submitted by Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog, will cost NIS 18.5 million a year for three years. It grants the victims' families financial, legal and psychological assistance, and will also assist victim support groups. Its limited application apparently stems from financial considerations: The Finance Ministry refused to approve a broader plan that would also cover past victims.

"The state treats us, the victims, as criminals, and the criminals as victims," complained Lia, 53. She immigrated from South Africa 11 years ago and survived an attempt by her partner to murder her - and will therefore not be eligible for the new assistance plan. "They get everything; we fight with the last of our strength and don't even get the most minimal assistance. To this day, a year after the incident, every time I enter my house I see my blood staining the floor."

"When you become a victim, aside from the trauma, you have to deal with all the expenses - psychological treatment, checking up on the trial by yourself," she added. "Were it not for the Noga Center [which aids crime victims], I'd have been lost. The situation is that many are forced to go back to work in hellish pain, because there's simply no other choice - except starvation."

After divorcing and living for five years as a single mother of three, during which time she supported herself by running a day-care center in her house, Lia fell in love with a man named John. He soon moved in with her, and they were thinking of getting married. But she became increasingly disturbed by his behavior and asked him to leave. At that point, he began stalking her.

Then, one day, he called and asked if he could come by to pick up something he'd left in her house. She agreed. When he arrived, he said he didn't feel well, so she went to make him some tea. While she was in the kitchen, he stabbed her twice in the back, puncturing a lung. She somehow managed to crawl out the door of her apartment, and a neighbor came by and saw her - forcing John, who had come after her, to retreat into the apartment.

Lia was in the hospital for two months, and still has trouble moving her arm. She was unable to work for five months. "But then there was no choice, because I had nothing to eat."

She still suffers from nightmares and anxiety, she said, but gets no assistance from the state. It was the Noga Center that arranged free psychological treatment for her. "Without them, I wouldn't be here," she said.

Meanwhile, she added, John is sitting in jail and trying to arrange for a plea bargain under which "he would serve seven years and get food, an education, medical and psychological treatment, whatever he wants - everything that I have to fight for."

Dr. Dana Pugach of the Noga Center noted that with proper assistance, people like Lia could return to being fully functional and contributing members of society. "But because she didn't receive assistance, she stopped working full-time and may become even more dependent on the welfare system, instead of being a person who contributes," Pugach mourned.