NGOs on Sde Teiman: Society that forgives rape legitimizes rape

The outpouring of public anger at the investigation of nine IDF soldiers arrested on suspicion of the abuse and sodomy of a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman detention camp and support for the soldiers, caused a terrible breach of trust with society, said anti-gender violence organization, Lotem - Counter Gender-Terrorism Unit.

"The same society that fought sex offenses on October 7, suddenly fought to protect those who committed sex offenses," said the organization, adding that this could have a terrible impact on the victims of sex offenses.  

"Next time someone is hurt, she may find herself wondering if her assailant will also be immune [from punishment] if there is a way to present him as a hero," the organization explained.

Protests have broken out in support of the IDF suspects, including protests that culminated in mobs breaking into two IDF bases, and protesters clashing with IDF soldiers and journalists. A new protest organization sprung up in support of the soldiers, and a suspect was sent a fruit basket by supporters.   

"In a society where an angry mob breaks into army bases to defend the rights of soldiers to rape, none of us are safe. Our society already finds ways to justify rape and sex offenses - dress, drinking, the victims sexual history. So now they have found the ultimate immunity: wearing a uniform."

Society's answer must be that "there is no such thing as a rapist who is a hero. There is no such thing as a rapist who is immune from the law," Lotem added. 

The organization touched on the nationalistic element of the incident saying that those who were upset by the fact that the case does not address the nationality of those involved are part of the problem. "Rape has no nationality," they said.

Israel's Association of Rape Crisis Centers (ARCCI) also explained the possible impact of the public reaction to the case on victims of sex offenses and called on Israeli authorities to fully investigate and exercise the full extent of the law in alleged cases of sex offenses against Pelstinian detaineeds perpetrated by Israeli soldiers and jailers.

Preventing the phenomenon of sexual violence 

Failing to do so could lead to a slippery slope, ARCCI head Orit Sulitzeanu said. "Whoever thinks it is legitimate to commit sexual violence against the horrible Nukhba terrorists, can then say that it is legitimate to commit sexual violence against prisoners, and can then say it is legitimate to commit sexual violence against those who are the other side of the polititcal map, and this can detirorate in a very dangerous way."

Sulitzeanu expressed concern over the public reaction to the case of the soldiers arrested at Sde Teiman.

"If Israeli society is forgiving about what happened, it will come back like a boomerang," said Sulitzeanu.

One of the dangers of this forgiving attitude towards and normalization of sex offenses is that it could lead victims of sex offenses to think that offenses against them could be excusable.

Sulitzeanu offered as example the case in which an IDF soldier comes back from reserves and commits sexual violence against his girlfriend. In a society that is forgiving to those who commit sex offenses, his girlfriend might think this is legitimate because her partner has seen horrible things in his IDF service, she explained.

As a mother of released soldiers, and an Israeli citizen, Sulitzeanu said that of course she supports the IDF soldiers protecting Israel. Along with this, being a combat soldier means that you must meet certain moral and legal standards, she added.

"The fact that you are a soldier, or a combat soldier does not give you the right to to harm or sexually abuse or physically abuse anyone else."

Sulitzeanu highlighted that sexual violence is a phenomenon that is destructive and terrible, regardless of who is committing it and against whom.

"Whether a combat soldier or a criminal, and whether the person hurt is a horrible Nukhba terrorist or a girl - it's always terrible."    

"Sexual abuse doesn't have a 'context' and there are no circumstances in which it is allowed. Not even when investigating or punishing the worst of our enemies," said the ARCCI in a statement responding to reports of sex offenses in multiple Israeli prisons.

"It is our duty to maintain our moral limits even when the rage and pain are bubbling up."

"Investigating and bringing about justice are not a 'prize' to murderers or the other side - they are standing up strongly for our character as a society," said the organization, after protesters had asserted that these investigations rewarded terrorists.

The ARCCI has seen decreased sex offense reporting after a spike in reporting that followed the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, said Sulitzeanu, attributing some of this to an atmosphere in which women don't feel they can report because they feel others are facing more serious problems, making it seem like it is not an appropriate time for them to report offenses against them.