From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Mon Feb 08 2010 - 14:05:14 EST
*http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3845720,00.html*
*Eritrean refugee says raped by 8 Bedouins in Sinai*
**
*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<http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-3082,00.html>
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.
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