Nazareth - (Saba):
An Israeli former captive admitted that she felt more protected during her captivity by Hamas than she did under Israeli protection, according to the Hebrew newspaper Maariv, published on Monday.
The newspaper reported that Mia Shem, a former captive who was released from Gaza, found herself at the center of a new storm after alleging that she was raped by a well-known fitness trainer from Tel Aviv, active on social media and known for training many celebrities in Israel.
According to the report, Mia claimed that the rape occurred in her home and that the alleged perpetrator used a date-rape drug. She stated that she does not recall many details of the incident.
A court has imposed a complete gag order on all details of the rape investigation, and the media is prohibited from publishing any names.
Mia Shem, 21, was released in late November during the first ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Commentators noted that Israeli policy on rape cases is highly flawed, with “9 out of 10 rape cases being closed without charges.”
According to official reports, of the thousands of complaints filed each year related to sexual crimes, only a small percentage result in indictments and convictions. Even in Mia's case—despite the suspect failing a polygraph test—he was released from custody due to lack of evidence, and a key witness has yet to be found.
The paper also noted that the conviction rate for sexual crimes in Israel is relatively low.
A report by the Association of Centers for Assistance to Victims of Sexual Assault revealed that in 2023, Israeli police opened a total of 6,405 cases related to sexual crimes. However, 81% of these cases were closed without indictment, and only 16% led to charges (the remaining 2% ended in conditional settlements).
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