Twenty-five-year-old female refugee from Eritrea who infiltrated into Israel says she was sexually attacked by Bedouins who led her, other refugees through Sinai. Population and Immigration Border Authority officials say familiar with phenomenon
Yael Branovsky
| Published: | 02.08.10, 00:05 / Israel News |
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The journey of African refugees to Israel entails many dangers along the way. Refugees, for example, run the risk of being shot by Egyptian security forces, as has occured in the past. However, women face another peril – some are raped just before entering the Jewish state.
Shalom Yehosua from the Population and Immigration Border Authority said that a 25-year-old woman from Eritrea who recently crossed the border into Israel said she was raped by eight Bedouins leading her and a group of refugees through the Sinai Peninsula.
"She was very closed-off, cried all the time and nearly didn't speak, I instructed not to question her at that stage," Yehoshua told Ynet. "She was very frightened. An army medic performed an initial examination and she was turned over to the Israel Prison Service for more tests."
Yehoshua further added that his unit, which is responsible for questioning infiltrators and has been active for two years, has encountered dozens of women who were raped on the way to Israel. One couple, he said, tried to infiltrate into Israel when the husband was caught right before crossing the border, while another refugee raped his wife. The wife is currently in Israel with her baby, a result of the rape. |
Israel is treating sexually abused refugees in a shelter for sex traffic victims created by the Welfare and Social Services Ministry.
Yael Hermel, who is in charge of the shelters which contain 35 beds, said that they are almost always full at any given moment. According to her, should the 25-year-old woman be found eligible, she will be placed at a shelter where she will stay for several months and be given appropriate care.
"The State won't throw her out to the street and will assist in any way possible, even before her status is examined," she said.
It is a very sad story to hear the plight of Eritreans everywhere, in Sinai, sudan, Libya, mexico, Ethiopia and even in Italy. Why is the youth leaving the country ? Is that only for economic reason? It so shame when our sisters and mothers are being raped everywhere , is this a kind of curse to live always with out being settled.
Even during the tyrant Mengistu era , this type of thing never happened, I am really terrified what is going on n Eritrea. I think Eritreans should discuss this issue openly and solution should come from ourselves not from Human rights organization or other countries, no one cares about us.
But if we are keep on denying this issue , i think we will have serious crisis as a people and a country. Are you just blaming the people who cross the border and leave the country . It is true that some of the youth are leaving the country because they are thinking that the outside world is honey and milk but others are coming out because they lost some light or hope in their future . so it is high time we should discuss our issue right now.
Peace and stability for the people of eritrea
It's indeed a sad story, it's hard to imagine the cruelty inflicted upon her and the unlucky ones that must carry the scares of such bruital acts. Sadly, many Africans have opted for migration as a solution to escape poverty. Our, youngsters are being lured by those seeking to tarnish the image of a nation like Eritrea, that is making remarkable progress towards improving the lives their citizens. At a time when the econmic melt down has caused immense employment problems in the west its best if they chose to stay at home and fulfill their duties as citizens. The life of exile is never satisfying, even at the best of times, it's never like home. Home Sweet Home!!!
thanks for the democratic state of Isreal
If the country is democrat, it recognizes human value and human dignity wherever once come
let all the countries which found around Isreal learn what dimocracy means and rush to be dimocrat country to weigh the value and diginity of thier people and others
In lowless and undimocrat country (power that is not in the hand of the people), people is value less. the leaders or their followers using their power can kill, arest, rape (whatever they can want to do).
The power is in their hand no one has right to oppose, if one try will go to hell, as human there is no gourenty at all!
Waw…that's bad news!! OMG, Er youth, particularly young girls are having hard time!!
Very sad to hear Eri sisters suffering like that. God with u sisters