The use of sexual violence as a weapon of war will likely resurface in the Israel-Palestine conflict, a leading expert on sexual violence warned this week.
Yael Sherer, founder and head of Israel’s Survivors of Sexual Violence Advocacy Group, stated that the atrocities committed on October 7 marked a grim turning point. It was, she said, the first time sexual violence was deliberately employed as a weapon in this conflict, adding that its recurrence is a real possibility.
“This was the first time that these crimes were filmed and uploaded live to social media while they were still happening,” Sherer explained, highlighting that sexual violence had not been a widespread phenomenon in the conflict prior to that day.
“I have worked in other parts of the world where sexual violence is used as a weapon of war, but what stands out here is that this conflict did not previously include such acts on a large scale. These are very religious societies, so events of this [sexual] nature were very rare,” she said.
Sherer, an experienced advocate in sexual violence policy and legislation for war zones, has worked with the United Nations, the World Health Organisation, and in East Africa and Ukraine. She visited the UK this week with the advocacy group Stand With Us to confront misconceptions about the October 7 atrocities.
On the day marked by the United Nations as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Sherer noted “There is still widespread denial about the sexual violence committed by Hamas, other groups, and civilians on that day.”
Yael Sherer, founder and head of Israel’s Survivors of Sexual Violence Advocacy Group, said the atrocities committed on October 7 marked a turning point – it was the first time sexual violence was deliberately employed as a weapon in this conflict.
Gathering evidence of sexual violence is notoriously challenging, and Sherer emphasised the importance of transparency about “what we do and do not know.” She pointed out that most victims were murdered during the massacre, which complicates efforts to document the full extent of these crimes.
“We do not have a lot of survivors of sexual violence from that day. Most of the victims were executed. We only have four known survivors – three women and one man – a tiny number,” she said.
The surviving women have, so far, chosen not to speak publicly about their experiences. Sherer attributed this to their need for recovery, as well as the relatively conservative nature of Israeli society. “They do not want to be in the middle of international turmoil or become targets of attacks and doxxing. They want to keep their privacy and anonymity, and we must respect that.”
The only known victim to speak publicly about the sexual violence they endured on October 7 is a man and Sherer highlighted the unique challenges male survivors face.
“It is often perceived that rape is a crime of sexual passion, but that is not true. It is an act of violence and power. When you understand that, it is easier to see why men are victims too,” she explained.
Evidence from the massacre reveals the premeditated nature of these crimes. Sherer recounted reports of Hamas operatives being given explicit orders to cause maximum harm. Interrogations of captured terrorists confirmed that the acts were deliberate.
“They were told this option [sexual violence] was on the table. In their interrogations, they said they were proud of what they did and considered it a success,” Sherer went on.
One of the most harrowing incidents Sherer mentioned involved a father who was tied up and raped in front of his children, which has profoundly shaken Israeli men’s sense of safety in their own homes.
“This has brought attention to sexual violence on a public level that is new to Israeli society,” she said.
Sherer’s advocacy has made her a target of online hate, but she is determined to shed light on these crimes.
“I never thought I would be working on Israel. I thought war crimes of this nature were far away from us. But people need to understand this is not a Jewish problem. It happened here, and it is going to happen again.”
The sexual violence expert worked on a treatment plan for released hostages, to help them after experiencing sexual abuse in Hamas tunnels: “We worked on this even before there was a deal.”
Former Israeli hostages held in Gaza tunnels have recounted their experiences of sexual abuse. Released hostage Amit Soussana said a Hamas captor forced her at gunpoint to commit “a sexual act”.
Sherer is clear, “People need to understand this is not an Israeli problem, it can happen anywhere.”
When asked about the accusations of sexual violence committed against Palestinians by Israeli authorities, Shere said the difference was that Israeli courts would prosecute any perpetrators.
“Israel is a democratic state, rape is not allowed, so if any evidence [of sexual violence] comes forward, I have full confidence that people will be prosecuted.”
