For the second week in a row, the legislative committee decided on Sunday to reject a bill introduced by the previous coalition to introduce electronic tracking of domestic violence offenders, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir favoring a more “balanced” version. promised to bring It also deals with false allegations against men.
After former Justice Minister Gideon Sa’er decided last week to delay further discussion on the bill for six months, the ministerial panel Settle to discuss the bill again after latest domestic murder in country.
On Friday, police arrested a Haifa resident on charges of killing his wife, the mother of three children. Daria Littell, 31, had previously complained about threats from her husband. She was the fifth female murder victim in Israel since the beginning of the year.
During discussions on Sunday, ministers again decided to reject the current version of the law, which had already passed its first reading in the previous Knesset and could be accelerated.
Ben Gvir said during the meeting that he intends to bring out a “balanced,” government-backed version within a month, even though the Knesset will be in recess from next weekend until April 30.
During the meeting Ben Gvir said, “On the one hand it will respond to women who have been harmed, but on the other hand it will present the right balance to prevent false accusations against men.”
Daria Littell was allegedly murdered by her husband on March 17, 2023 (Courtesy)
Under the original proposed legislation, geolocation technology would be used to ensure that an offender deemed dangerous by a judge does not come within the distance specified by a restraining order.
The law proposed by Sa’ar – now an opposition member – is regarded by professionals as life-saving, the Haaretz news site reported last week.
Saar condemned the new delay in a statement, saying: “This is a balanced bill that has been prepared after long preparation by all professional elements, and has been unanimously approved in the first reading by the previous Knesset. Ben Gvir The series of delays due to the whims of the Chief Justice displayed contempt for human life.
MK Gideon Sa’ar attends a faction meeting of the National Unity Party at the Israeli parliament Knesset in Jerusalem on February 20, 2023. (Jonathan Sindel/Flash90)
Women’s rights groups also condemned the decision.
Hadas Danieli Yellin, CEO of the Israel Women’s Network, said, “Ben Gvir has now become a men-only minister of national security,” adding that the move shows the far-right minister has little to no regard for misbehaving women. “Don’t care” and “under pressure” from his friends who consider women inferior.
The current right-wing religious coalition consisting of two Haredi parties excludes women parliamentarians and has pushed for gender-based segregation in the public sphere.
Na’amat CEO Hagit Pe’er commented: “When will Israel understand that it is not a matter of coalition or opposition? When will they stop dragging their feet at the expense of women and children who are forced to hide in shelters and live in fear?” forced to?
Example: An ankle bracelet (Video screenshot by WGN News; used pursuant to Section 27A of the Copyright Act)
a report released in november Shows by the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs showed that between January and October of 2022, the ministry received 5,712 complaints of domestic violence – an increase of 3.6 percent over the previous year.
Of the reports, 3,432 were about violence directed against women in a relationship, 184 were reported by men suffering abuse in a relationship, and 1,266 were about violence directed at children by a family member.
The data also showed that more people were seeking help from welfare centers that support victims of domestic violence. During 2021, some 21,491 people sought help, compared to about 19,337 in 2020 – an 11% increase.
According At the Israel Observatory on Femicide, last year 24 women were “murdered because they were women,” a 50% increase compared to the 16 such murders recorded in 2021. population.
While data on false domestic violence allegations is scarce, researchers around the world agree that the number of actual assaults far exceeds the number of false claims. Additionally, there is the issue of unreported attacks, which are missing from official statistics.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
