Minister Gila Gamliel: I have experienced sexual harassment
Minister for Social Equality says she was groped on a bus when she was in the army and that the public should support women who accuse powerful men of abuse.
“It was simply horrifying,” she said. “I got up, startled, and ran towards the driver and when I turned back around he got off at the station.”
Regarding the rise in reports of sexual harassment and abuse in Israel’s police and military, Gamliel acknowledged that “we are in a disturbing year.”
She also gave words of support to the women who recently accused Brig. Gen. Ofek Buchris, the commander of the Golani brigade, of harassment, saying that “we should support the complainants; the victims are not to blame.” The minister further said that the government has, for the first time in Israeli history, worked to create a budget for gender equality. Gamiliel added that her ministry intends to form a governmental authority to combat violence against women and that she believes gender equality should be taught as early as kindergarten.
On Monday, Nehama Rivlin – the wife of President Reuven Rivlin – hosted 16 women who had publicly discussed their experiences with sexual assault. She praised the women for telling their stories, which she said would help women get the courage to reveal their own experiences.
