In this section you will find the most up to date statistics from the ARCCI as well as other authorities taken from the 2014 annual report. Every year, on November 25th – the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, ARCCI publishes yearly statistics about sexual abuse and calls made to the rape crisis centers and other authorities.
ARCCI Statistics
General Statistics
- In 2013, 40,000 calls were received by the rape crisis centers.
- Among them 8,637 were new callers.
- This reflects a rise of 12% compared to previous years.
- 15% of incidents received by the rape crisis centers were reported to the police.
Distribution according to gender
- 87% of callers reporting assault were women or girls
- 13% of callers reporting assault were men or boys.
Distribution according to age
- 31% of callers reporting assault were under the age of 12
- 33% of callers reporting assault were between 13-18
- 36% of callers reporting assault were adults
Distribution according to type of assault
- The most frequently reported assault was rape, sodomy or attempted rape – 36% of all calls
- 26% reported sexual assault by a close family member (incest)
- 17% reported sexual harassment
- 15% reported indecent assault
- 5% reported gang rape
- 1% reported exposure to pornography
Distribution according to connection to the attacker
- The majority of callers reported being attacked by a parent or family member – 28% of all calls
- 24% reported being attacked by a friend, neighbor or acquaintance
- 14% reported being attacked by an employer or fellow worker
- 11% reported being attacked by their significant other/spouse
- 11% reported being attacked by a stranger
- 4% reported being attacked by a service provider
- 3% reported being attacked by a therapist or physical therapist
- 3% reported being attacked by a teacher
- 1% reported being attacked by a spiritual leader
- 1% reported being attacked by a blind date
Statistics from the Israeli Police Force
(Source of data provided by the Freedom of Information Act in the Israeli Police Force. The source for discrepancies between total cases and total offenses is missing data in the Israeli Police Force.)
General Statistics
5,704 cases of sexual offense were opened by the police.
Among them 2,191 were cases of sexual offenses against minors.
4,021 reports were submitted about assault of women or girls.
1,028 reports were submitted about assaults of men or boys.
3,108 reports were against male suspects.
765 reports were against suspects who were minors.
Distribution According to Type of Offense
Most cases opened concerned indecent assault – 2,865 cases.
1,055 cases were opened concerning rape by force or threats of rape
974 cases were concerning an indecent act in public
820 cases opened were concerning sexual harassment
410 cases opened were concerning rape on unlawful grounds
297 cases opened were concerning indecent assault not by force
17 other types of cases were opened
Statistics from the State's Attorney's Office
Source of data is the Freedom of Information Law in the Ministry of Justice
In 2013, the State's Attorney's Office prosecuted 5,238 cases of sexual offenses enshrined by the Penal Code, 2,815 were opened this year.
In 2013, the State's Attorney's Office prosecuted 390 cases enshrined in the Law for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment, 239 of them were opened this year.
Distribution According to type of Offense – Open Cases
Indecent Assault – 1,418 cases
Rape, on the grounds of lack of consent, and sodomy – 1,037 cases
Indecent Assault in Public – 402
Sexual offenses in the family or by a party responsible for a helpless person – 255
Sexual harassment -239
Sex between therapist and patient – 5
Indictments filed against sexual offenses and sexual harassment
In 2013, the State's Attorney's Office submitted 594 indictments including charges of sexual offenses enshrined by the Penal Code and 40 indictments including charges of offenses according to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law.
Distribution According to Type of Offense
Indecent Assault - 385
Rape, on the grounds of lack of consent, and sodomy – 232
Indecent Assault in Public – 103
Sexual offenses in the family or by a party responsible for a helpless person – 62
Sexual harassment – 40
Cases of Sexual Offenses and Sexual Harassment Closed by the State's Attorney's Office in 2013
In 2013 the State's Attorney's Office closed 1,668 cases without submitting indictments concerning sexual offenses enshrined by the Penal Code, and 130 cases of sexual harassment.
Reasons for Closing Cases – Sexual Offenses
71.4% - Lack of Evidence
10.5% - Circumstances did not justify prosecution
10.3% - not guilty
7.7% - Other
0.6% - statute of limitations
Reasons for Closing Cases – Sexual Harassment
65.5% - Lack of evidence
14.5% - Not guilty
13.6% - The circumstances did not justify prosecution
6.4% - Other
It is important to note that according to the not guilty clause, it does not mean that the offense did not happen, rather the incident cannot point to an attacker. For instance, when the victim doesn't know the attacker, incidents of unconsciousness, the offense was committed at a young age and the attacker cannot be located, etc. In the section of the circumstances not justifying prosecution, in most cases the incident was too minor or had little public interest.
Statistics from the Court Administration for 2013
Source of data is the Freedom of Information Law of the Courts Administration.
In the last three years there was a decline in cases of sexual offenses handled by the court: in 2013 – 298 cases were opened, in 2012 – 855 cases were opened, and in 2011 – 1,0008 cases were opened.
Statistics from the IDF for 2013
Source of data is the Section of Complaints, Public Relations Branch, IDF Spokespeople Division
In 2013 there were 561 reports of sexual assault in the IDF that were of military circumstances. Additionally, there were 396 reports of sexual assault that were not of military circumstances.
49% of reports were of physical assault
In 61% of cases a complaint was not submitted.
91% of reports were of assault against women, 9% were assault against men
50% of assaults were made by enlisted men
Statistics of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace for 2013
ARCCI’s Annual Report for 2014 focuses on the topic of sexual harassment in the workplace. Below are the main statistics from the report:
ARCCI’s Main Statistics
The past few years have seen an increase in the percentage of women who report sexual assault at work, among all women reporting sexual assault. In 2009, 17% of all adult callers (over 25) to the rape crisis centers were concerning sexual harassment in the workplace. In 2013, 28% of all adult callers were concerning sexual harassment in the workplace – a total of 300 callers during 2013.
Around 94% of callers about sexual assault at work were women (282 callers), and 6% of callers were men (18 callers).
A sixth of cases were also reported to the police (48 incidents).
Connection to the Attacker
66% were assaulted by their employer, officer or other person of authority
27% were assaulted by a co-worker
7% were assaulted by someone else
Data from the Civil Service Commission
In 2013 136 cases were opened at the Civil Service Commission on the topic of sexual harassment and other sexual offenses. Around 30 disciplinary proceedings were carried out, and 8 class actions were filed in disciplinary court.