Supporting Victims of Sexual Violence Following 10/7 Giving Guide
During times of war and conflict, there are multiple devastating impacts on women. While sexual violence has always been present during war, the October 7 attack by Hamas included the intentional, premeditated decision to use sexual violence as a weapon of war. By widely introducing this act of terror, Hamas used violence against women as a brutal strategy, rather than a byproduct of the conflict. It is imperative that the world community acknowledges and condemns what survivors and the bodies of victims tell us about this gruesome assault.
Also, it’s important to understand that during times of conflict, domestic violence increases. Even before October 7, domestic violence was at an all-time high in both Israel and the U.S. due to the pandemic; the war has only exacerbated this trend. Crisis centers and hotlines are seeing a surge in calls from Jewish survivors of sexual assault and victims of domestic violence.
We highly recommend supporting the following organizations doing vital work addressing the continued growing need of supporting women during this challenging time in Israel and the U.S. The list was curated by experts in Federation's Israel office along with our professional philanthropic advisors, with guidance from our partner the National Council for Jewish Women.
If you are interested in opening a Federation donor-advised fund to facilitate your giving, start here.