A bill concerning the rights of victims of sexual assault within the Israeli military is making its way through the Knesset. According to this Jerusalem Post report by Lahav Harkov:
Victims of sexual assault during IDF service will receive equal legal and other aid to those who were assaulted outside of military service, if a bill authorized for a first reading by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday becomes a law.
Currently, rape during IDF service is listed as a separate crime than rape of a civilian. The bill in question, proposed by Zionist Union MK Merav Michaeli, cancels the crime of “military rape,” which would make all victims fall under the same category, and the Rights of Victims of Crime Law would also apply to those assaulted while serving in the IDF.
Michaeli said the bill “will fix the distortion in which there is one law for military men and another for civilians when it comes to sex offenders... That is unreasonable and unacceptable.”
Wish the Canadian Minister of Justice would be inspired by such a legislative initiative. At present, victims (military or civilian) of crimes which are prosecuted before military tribunals are EXCLUDED from the protection provided by the Canadian Bill of Rights for Victims of Crimes. Shame.
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