In 2021, 5,333 cases were opened by the police on suspicion of committing sexual offenses, a jump of 18% compared to their number in 2020 - according to official police data revealed here for the first time.
According to the data, the number of sexual offense cases opened in 2021 is also unusual in relation to their number in each of the years 2018 and 2019, when the average number of cases opened on suspicion of committing sexual offenses was about 4,500 "only" cases.
21% of all cases opened by the police in the last four years involving sexual offenses dealt with suspected rape or threats, 25% with suspected sexual harassment and 49% with suspected indecent act.
Other sexual offenses investigated by the police, to a lesser extent, are rape and unlawful misconduct, an indecent act in public and an indecent act of force.
"The sharp jump in the number of sexual offenses being investigated by the police indicates that despite the growing awareness in our society, the phenomenon of sexual assault and harassment is not in a hurry to disappear from our lives," said Adv. "The huge difficulty in filing a complaint about sexual assault and harassment, I am happy to see that victims of sexual offenses have the courage and choose, in spite of everything, to complain about those who harmed them," she added.
Photo: GettyImages // Illustration,
The data also reveal that 21% of the sex offense cases opened in 2021 are still under investigation, while 19% have already been shelved or are in the process of closing.
A single percent of them have already reached a judicial decision, and 57 percent have been transferred to the State Attorney's Office or the Claims Department.
The data also show that 49% of the sexual offense cases opened by the police between 2018 and 2021 have been shelved or are in the process of closing, while in 61% of the cases opened in the years 2020-2018, the handling of the geniza or the closure of the case ended.
The data also reveal that less than 10% of the cases opened between 2018 and 2019 ended in some judicial decision.
According to Advocate Reshef, “the fact that only one in ten cases opened by the police reaches a judicial decision is a disturbing phenomenon, which can turn out to be dangerous.
The State of Israel in general, and law enforcement systems in particular, must do everything in their power to ensure that those who have been victims of sexual offenses file a complaint against their perpetrator or harasser.
Anyone who has been harmed by a sexual offense should know that the way of the butts that entails many torments will 'pay off' for him, and will allow him to close the circle and come to terms with whoever harmed him.
"Because the false complaint rate is known to be minor, it is an acute task."
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