Still Seeking Justice…. for Victims of Sexual Violence on October 7… and in Captivity
By Cheryl Sylvester & Megan Stephens
Co-Chairs, Women’s Advocacy Group of Women of Holy Blossom
November 25th is recognized as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and kicks off 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. While governments around the world mark this day as one to advocate for eliminating violence against women, we are heartbroken that more than 400 days have passed since the brutal rapes, murders and kidnapping took place in Israel on October 7, 2023 – terrorist acts that so many have failed to denounce.
In March 2024, the Women’s Advocacy Group of Women of Holy Blossom held a panel discussion, “Seeking Justice for the Victims of Sexual Violence on October 7”. That discussion sought to bring awareness both to the terrorizing use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in the October 7 attacks and the profoundly troubling implications of the international community’s silence in the face of that evidence for all victims of sexual violence. A link to the recording of this important event with Rabbi Yael Splansky in conversation with legal and social justice advocates Dahlia Lithwick, Tiffany Moller, Guila Benchimol and Megan Stephens can be found here. The concerns raised in that discussion remain pressing; we encourage you to view the video, if you haven’t seen it yet.
With 101 hostages still in captivity, including 14 women, we continue to call for justice for all of the victims, and, most urgently, for those still being held in Gaza. Ms. Pramila Patten, the UN Special Representative to the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, released a report in early March 2024 concluding that there was “clear and convincing information” that Israeli hostages in Gaza experienced “sexual violence, including rape” and there were “reasonable grounds” to believe such abuse is “ongoing”. On March 26, 2024, Amit Soussana, a former hostage, bravely spoke to a NY Times Reporter about the sexual assault and torture she endured during her time in captivity.
Cochav Elkayam-Levy, Chair of the Civil Commission on October 7 Crimes by Hamas against Women and Children, recently wrote in an article in the Jerusalem Post that Ms. Patten’s reports conclusions “highlighted the extreme brutality inflicted on victims and raised urgent concerns for those still held captive, calling for their immediate release.“
There can be little doubt that the hostages still held in Gaza are suffering ongoing physical and sexual abuse. Rape and sexual violence constitute war crimes under the Geneva convention, and crimes against humanity under the Rules of the International Criminal Court. Canada has a responsibility to seek to prevent this ongoing sexual abuse by demanding the hostages be released and returned home to their families to heal – and to demand that the Red Cross be given access to the hostages to provide the urgent medical care they need.
To that end, we encourage you to write to both Canadian government officials to advocate for the hostages to be released to put an end to their suffering, and in particular for the end to the sexual violence the women are almost certainly enduring. Click here for draft letters to Prime Minister Trudeau and Mr. Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the UN which you can personalize and send.
The hostages remain in our hearts and daily thoughts. We pray and advocate for their release, and indeed for a safe and ultimately peaceful resolution to the war in Israel and Gaza. Please join us in advocating for our Israeli sisters, and brothers, still held captive to be returned safely home to begin to heal
An additional next step to engage with social justice:
If you have an emerging passion to engage with social justice issues, learn advocacy skills, and making connections with other Reform Jewish advocates for social justice, we encourage you to consider participating in the Women of Reform Judaism Rabbi Marla J. Feldman Social Justice Conference to be held April 4-7, 2025 in Washington, D.C. This event is for woman-identifying, non-binary, and gender-fluid folks to learn about key, timely social justice issues we care about and put that learning into action.
