Only when 'A.' stops being 'A.'
If the president or any other person suspected of sex crimes were suspected of economic crimes, or crimes involving violence and robbery, the situation would be reversed: The suspect would try to hide his face and the complainant would appear unconcealed.
By Gideon LevyThe scenes are infuriating: The woman who complains about a crime committed against her appears on television, her face blurred, while the suspect appears at a press conference before a large crowd; the complainant's attorney tries to defend, while the suspect's lawyer arrogantly attacks. The public discussion focuses more on an investigation of the complainant's past than on the past of the person suspected of attacking her. The victim is humiliated and the suspect attacks; it is a world turned upside down. Not only is the face of the complainant blurred, the answer to the question of who is the suspect and who is the victim is also clouded.
These scenes only appear here when it comes to sex crimes. If the president or any other person suspected of sex crimes were suspected of economic crimes, or crimes involving violence and robbery, the situation would be reversed: The suspect would try to hide his face and the complainant would appear unconcealed. Those who seek to take pride in the strides Israeli society has made with regard to sexual violations should note that the path to justice and equality is still a long and difficult one.
Still, we have made some significant progress. There was a time, not so long ago, when everything was permissible, and even worthy of emulation and admiration. Those were the days when the bureaus of Israel Defense Forces generals were filled with soldier-beauty queens for decoration, "the best men become pilots, and the best women go for the pilots," "maidele, make some coffee," and the unforgettable "when you say 'no,' what do you really mean?" Hands and other organs groped female clerks and secretaries in every sector, with almost no inhibition. Hurtful, sexist and chauvinistic comments were regularly directed toward them. A laudable societal change has occurred from then until today, when a government minister is put on trial for allegedly forcing a kiss upon a female soldier. The bastards changed the rules and the Israeli man perhaps realizes that not everything is permitted, but it is doubtful whether he has internalized the change in ethical standards. The fear of the law casts a shadow, but there are still many among us who think that this new situation is "intolerable."
The public reaction to the president's case lends the impression that even if there is broad agreement that the president has to go, there are quite a few people who actually see him as the victim. There is almost no compassion for his alleged victims. We feel compassion toward a victim of a sexual crime only if she also suffered serious physical violence. The public heart reaches out to the women raped by Benny Sela, but not to the victims of the avaricious boss. The fact that only 11 percent of the callers to rape crisis centers report attacks by strangers, while some 90 percent report previous acquaintance with the assailant, does not change a thing. Our sympathy is with a rape victim who was attacked by a stranger in a dark alley and viciously beaten. Any other instance of sexual assault - that is, the majority of these crimes - is regarded skeptically, accompanied by a mischievous wink. Thus, residents of Kiryat Malakhi could be heard saying last week that the president merely "screwed and didn't rape," or that the complainants actually "enjoyed" it.
The courageous public stance of A. and her attorney, Kinneret Barashi, is very admirable. But the path will only be completed when A. stops being A. and appears openly in public. Why does she need to hide her identity? Would she also be so ashamed if she were robbed or wounded by gunfire?
The fact that a disgusting campaign of mudslinging and incitement is conducted against most of the women who complain of sexual assault shows us that there is still a long way to go. The assumption that the two complainants now face "an intolerably difficult period" is perceived as a fact of life, a decree from Heaven. But why? Why is it appropriate for the victim to undergo this humiliating campaign of rummaging through her past and invading her privacy, while disseminating lies and slander? Why is it relevant at all to address the complainants' "past"? The self-righteousness of the attorneys, who claim they are only seeking to undermine the credibility of the complainants, is ludicrous. A person can conceal his past and still level truthful accusations. The discussion of A.'s past, with the aid of criminal elements and dubious declarations, has proceeded unimpeded, with almost no one standing up to defend her.
These suspects and their attorneys wage these campaigns of incitement with cynicism, knowing that this is the only way to deter other injured parties from complaining. Society as a whole and the justice system in particular should have denounced such behavior. A society whose rules have undergone real change would not have allowed this, if only out of a desire to discover the truth and prevent its contamination, goals that are impossible to realize when terrorizing the victims.
The fact that a significant increase in complaints about sex crimes was recorded last year - both in the IDF (a 300 percent increase in the number of rape complaints compared to 2005) and in the civilian sector (an increase of 20 percent in the number of calls placed to the help centers) - perhaps indicates an encouraging change: Despite everything, more women are finding the courage to speak out.
Every cloud has a silver lining: The president's case has put the issue of sexual assault on the agenda. The public discussion now being conducted should lead to a complete change in outlook. Perhaps when this wretched case is over, we will finally understand who is the true victim and who is the criminal, who deserves a badge of shame and who merits compassion. On the day A. and those like her can look straight into the public's eye while their assailants are the ones who hide in shame, we will know that this task has been accomplished.
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The President is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. In the meantime, his "courageous" accuser gets to hide behind the annonimity of "A", he the president gets skewered in the press and the public eye. Allow this courageous man his day in court.
The President is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. In the meantime, his "courageous" accuser gets to hide behind the annonimity of "A", he the president gets skewered in the press and the public eye. Allow this courageous man his day in court.
"A" and her attorney are FAR from courageous. She hides behind the annonimity, while the president has to face these unproven charges under the scrutiny of the public eye. Until proven guilty, the President is indeed the victim of an attack. My husband has undergone virulent attacks by his ex-wife for a long time that he abuses his daughter. NOTHING CAN BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. Nevertheless, in the court's eye, he is made "guilty" and needs "supervision" until he can prove his innocence. And, every time he does prove his innocence, and that has been quite a few, he gets to wait quietly until his ex decides to rear her ugly head again.
Haven't they told you yet? There's no such thing as equality in this country.
Let's see, Levy writes a column defending Israeli (read Jewish) women and demanding equal justice for crimes committed against them. For this readers accuse him of being a self-hating Jew.
Where is your outrage at "honor killings". Seems convenient that during a week when the Hamas gang is shooting it out with the Fatah gang--Gideon comes home to Israel. Never read a report about Israel before (except as it applied to Palestinians).
Maybe we should behave as they do in Jenin or Nablus or Ramallah. If you rape my sister, I can come to to your house and kill your whole family. You know...to save the family honor. Or perhaps avoid the entire issue and just get the kid vaginally circumcised as an infant. As far as I can tell, Israelis are certainly more civilized about these things than their neighbors. But what the hell, another thing Israelis should beat themselves up over. Israel has become a nation of self-flagellants.
Mr. Levy is the most honest journalist on earth! If we could have more journalist like him the earth would be a better place to live. He more patriotic and loving than anyone i know..
Gideon Levy is a giant of humanity . Shame on those who attack him for speaking out the truth and for defending the weak and oppressed.
The consensus is that Gideon Levy is a self hating Jew who has never critized the Palestinians or lost an opportunity to condemn the Israelis.
How pathetic are your contibutors who criticise Levy for failing to comment on the Palestinian infighting. Has it not occurred to them that Levy is concerned about ISRAEL and Israel's behaviour and morals - the Palestinians will have to sort themselves out and certainly don't need any Israeli or Jew for that matter to guide them. Levy has Israel's good at heart which is more than can be said about some, who can't bear to look into what is really going on.
What is going on? Gideon Levy is writing about other matters, rather than blaming Israel for whatever happens to Palestinians. Will wonders never cease? Could it be, because the big news today is the suicide bombing in Eilat, done by one of his beloved Palestinians, and he couldn't make himself condemn it or coulnd't find a way to blame Israel for it?
Gideon Levy's article fails to grasp the primary reason why women are permitted to hide their identities in matters such as sexual attacks. This is necessary due to the time-honored method and modus operandi of defense lawyers whose sole aim is to discredit and slur the victims of sexual crimes. Victims are hounded regularly and harassed not to speak out which is why Moshe Katsav felt secure enough to still commit acts for which he must now stand trial. When the laws are changed and it is no longer permitted, as is the case in other more civilized societies, then A may come out from behind the blurred lens and speak out. To insult or defame any victim of sexual assault becomes a new rape committed upon her person and it is disgusting.
How hypocritical of you to suggest equality when it was or still is de facto IDF policy that "all the pretty ones go to the Air Force" don't these people have daughters, sisters, than to have made or make their beautiful 18 year old girls accessible as "girlfriends" to Air Force officers.
Thank you Gideon Levy for existing. Thank you for being so brave in everything you write. Thank you for having the strength to write the truth in such an ugly world. I wish there were many, many more like you. You give me hope that it is still possible to dream about a better future, both when it comes to a peaceful existence with the palestinians and real equality between men and women in this so torned countyr. Don't people see that it is the macho culture that is at fault here, a culture that hopfully is falling at last. Only when the men in Israel will change their attitude towards women will there finally be a bit of light in this, for the time being so dark, country.
...according to Halacha, if a woman married to a Cohen is raped, her husband must divorce her. Even in our "modern" and "politically correct" society, how many men (and, come to think of it, women, too)are there who would treat a raped woman with respect? First she would be an item for gossip, then a social freak, and eventually be condemned for "not putting up a fight".
we have not yet had the trial and giddy opines that "a" will be vindicated.(look the public straight in the face) saint gideon sounds like the iraqi judge in the saddam case who said: "lets first try and then hang him"
how would the police get the facts?might not the woman have made a false accusation? should we take all women who cry rape at their word? if not then saint gideon is one confused journalist.
"the rape victim is humiliated"saint gideon when was it ever different.all rape victims the world over are humiliated by the questioning that follows the rape.so is levy doing his job and informing and is he in fact boring us with stale news.
I expected from you today a clear condemnation on the assasination of two palestinian children aged 2 and 6years,during THIS WEEKEND in the PA, BY THE BULLETS OF PALESTINIAN MILITIAS I can disagree with some of your ideas, but until now I did recognized a level of impartiallity and freedom of mind, minimal requierement to be a Journalist Due the fact that the assasinations were done by both HAMAS and FATAH armed militias, does not mean that you can silence this fact, or to divert the notes with any other problem, as per example the ugly situation we do have with Mr Katzav (hope Israeli Justice will decide fast about its situation, and in case he is guilty to send him to prison,not home!) But coming back to the principles of Moral, Ethics and Journalism: WHERE THE F... ARE YOU WHEN TO BLAME ARE THE PALESTINIAN THUGS, MR GIDON LEVY?. Your note today, whatever importance can have, is only showing your double standard approach, and minning any reliability on you as Journalist