Three years after Hamas’s October 7 attacks, many Israelis continue to live with wounds that cannot always be photographed, fully described or easily discussed.
asserted
that → continue → wounds
For survivors of sexual violence and those who witnessed the attacks, the task is no longer simply to compile a record of what occurred; it is to document the lasting harm.
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it → witness → harm
That is the focus of a new study expected from the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI) early next year.
asserted
That → expect → Israel
The organization’s landmark February 2024 report – Silent Cry: Sexual Violence Crimes on October 7 – sought to assemble an early account of sexual and gender-based violence both during October 7, and after.
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report → seek → October
The new research will examine the longer-term impact of trauma and the needs that remain unmet.
asserted
that → examine → trauma
“We are trying to understand the impact of the sexual trauma — not only on direct victims, but also on first responders and other people,” said Orit Sulitzeanu, ARCCI’s executive director.
asserted
Sulitzeanu → try → responders
“It is much wider than people may perceive.”
uncertain
people → perceive → ?
Sulitzeanu has led the independent NGO, an umbrella body for nine rape crisis centres, for more than a decade.
asserted
Sulitzeanu → lead → decade
She received the Rapport Prize in 2023 for documentation and advocacy following Oct. 7.
asserted
She → receive → Oct.
According to Sulitzeanu, the Canadian government has given her organization $1.5 million over three years.
uncertain
government → accord → years
The following interview with Sulitzeanu has been edited for clarity and brevity.
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interview → follow → clarity
Q: Why does this work remain important three years later?
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work → remain → ?
You have to do it ethically when you approach survivors, relatives of survivors and first responders — everyone who was in touch with this trauma.
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who → have → trauma
It takes a long time.
asserted
It → take → time
For me, it is more important to get thorough, deep information.
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it → get → information
Some people find it very hard to talk about this issue.
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it → find → issue
The first report was to understand what happened and the practices of Hamas.
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what → understand → Hamas
Now, the purpose is to understand the impact and the need.
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purpose → understand → impact
Q: What does the public still misunderstand about the sexual violence of October 7?
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public → misunderstand → October
A: Sexual trauma always raises the question: “Did it happen?
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it → raise → question
People ask for video clips or photographs.
asserted
People → ask → clips
The survivors do not owe anybody anything.
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survivors → owe → anything
They only owe themselves the chance to recover.
asserted
They → owe → chance
The stories belong to the survivors.
asserted
stories → belong → survivors
Some survivors of sexual violence from Nova do not want to speak publicly.
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survivors → want → Nova
They do not want the stigma.
asserted
They → want → stigma
That should be accepted and respected.
asserted
That → accept → ?
The public does not understand the scale, because it is not only direct victims, it’s survivors from captivity, Nova, the kibbutzim and the military.
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it → understand → captivity
It is also first responders and people who handled bodies.
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who → handle → bodies
It’s not just sexual violence but what people saw.
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people → ’ → what
Things were severed and cut, like limbs, heads and breasts.
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Things → sever → limbs
Grenades were put in the intimate organs.
asserted
Grenades → put → organs
It’s something that you can’t comprehend.
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you → ’ → that
There are people whose lives have fallen apart.
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lives → be → ?
It is hundreds of people affected.
asserted
It → affect → people
Q: Has anything become clearer as more time has passed?
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time → become → ?
A: More stories have come out, particularly from people who were held captive, including men.
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who → come → men
At first, we were very worried about women, and did not speak enough about men.
asserted
we → speak → men
Over time, some men’s accounts of abuse emerged, too.
asserted
accounts → emerge → abuse
What has become clearest is the immense impact of trauma on people’s lives.
asserted
become → become → lives
…and 22 more, not listed.
The Aporia
