The Eilat Rape Crisis Center started to operate in 1986 – 8 years after the Tel Aviv Crisis Center was founded.

The Center is an independent non-profit organization, is located in Eilat City and provides services to the entire surrounding area, including the Kibbutzim in the Arava.

The women in the organization volunteer to assist women and men who were victims of sexual violence (e.g. rape, incest, pedophiles, sexual harassment). The volunteers undergo special training before they start to assist in the Center.

Special emphasis has been put on providing emotional and practical assistance to victims of sexual assault on the one hand, and promoting social change in the prevailing attitudes of the Israeli public, on the other hand.

The Southern Area of Israel, where the Eilat Rape Crisis Center is located, has unique characteristics, that do not exist in the rest of the country, such as:

• Population – kibbutzim and moshavim as well as Eilat City – tourists, volunteers from abroad, foreign workers, and soldiers serving in the area.
• The territory is huge and far away from the main cities of Israel .
• A third of the victims that the Eilat Rape Crisis Center assists do not live in the area and need help in contacting their family, sometimes from abroad, as well as support and assistance at least during the first days after the attack.

The Eilat Rape Crisis Center operates a 24-hour hotline, every day, all year round, for victims of sexual assault. The Eilat Rape Crisis Center services are provided by a team of 24 volunteers.

The women and men who call the Eilat Rape Crisis Center can remain anonymous and they do not have to have a meeting with us. The volunteers of the Eilat Rape Crisis Center assist by phone to anyone who calls, for free.

Nevertheless, the Eilat Rape Crisis Center knows that there is a need to expand the social change to prevent the expansion of the sexual violence in the Israeli society.

Crisis Intervention :

The Association’s foremost priority is the provision of immediate practical and emotional assistance to victims of sexual assault and their significant others. This is achieved by the following ongoing activities:

• Operation of a 24-hour hotline, every day, all year round, for victims of sexual assault.
• Individual meetings at the Center with the victims of sexual assault for the provision of counseling and support, if the victim requests.
• Accompaniment of the victims to the hospital, police station, and throughout the judicial process, being by her/his side every step of the way.
• Serving as a liaison between the victim and the various social services agencies, mental health services, educational system, the Army, etc.
• Free legal counseling services provided by volunteers who assist the Center.

The Eilat Rape Crisis Center recently started to assist women who are in this area as a result of women trafficking. Unwillingly they find themselves in an almost impossible situation and without any help until the Government Institutions are able to provide their assistance.

Main Goals:

• Assistance to victims of sexual assault.
• The Center engages in a variety of activities for the purpose of increasing public awareness and promoting change in the prevailing attitudes of the Israeli public towards myths associated with sexual assault.
• Dissemination of information to the media.
• Writing and distribution of pamphlets to the public at large.