Last week the New York Times published its investigation of sexual violence on October 7th. The descriptions can be difficult for some to read and process.
We wanted to share with you some of the words written by Hadas Dolev, a manager at ELEM’s Trauma Field who specializes in sexual assault. Hadas already wrote about covering these events and our role in supporting victims, before the NYT investigation was published.
“Coverage of sexual violence is also part of the war. The damage here is double, both to victims and witnesses and also to the morale and perception of the people watching from the side. Rape in war is trauma within trauma and also here, the journalists and the broadcasters and even us, the audience watching, do not always manage to respond correctly in a way that protects the victim, the community and the viewers.
I hope that we will get to that moment when we will have to deal with ‘what to say and what not to say? ‘, how to treat, what to cover.
Because that means that they [the victims] are here and it is indeed our job to put on the table the therapeutic response to sexual assault and exposure to sexual assault.”
“…within the national trauma there are people who have experienced personal trauma. We must not take ownership of the trauma. Each one will choose their own pace, their place and their own way.
All we have to do is say, ‘We are here’, when you need us, ‘we are here’.”
To read about ELEM’s work during the war click here.
ELEM’s Orshina center for boys who have experienced sexual violence.
