Israeli Soldier Kills Self After Superiors Failed To Act On Her Rape Case

A soldier reported to her officers that she had been raped. Her allegation wasn't investigated, and army mental health services failed to contact her. Ten days after reporting her rape and after one failed suicide attempt, she killed herself using her commander's gun, Yaniv Kubovich reported for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Photo Insert: Israeli women's rights groups blasted the army's passivity and Tel Aviv's refusal to comprehend why 33.3% of Israeli army deaths are suicides.

The Military Police are now questioning officers involved in the case on suspicion of neglect since they didn't report the soldier's complaint to the Israel Police or the Military Police and didn't treat her properly.

Israeli women's rights groups blasted the army's passivity and Tel Aviv's refusal to comprehend why 33.3% of Israeli army deaths are suicides.

The soldier attended a Purim party 10 days before committing suicide. After the party, she reported to her superiors she'd been raped and was in poor psychological condition.

Despite her request, she wasn't taken to a hospital's sexual assault trauma room. In addition, no precautions were taken to deny her access to a weapon.

Her commanding officers reported the rape to the army's mental health authorities and the chief of staff's gender adviser, but neither met with her. The soldier already attempted to commit suicide the day before she died.

According to sources familiar with the case, a mental health officer called her at the hospital and asked how she was doing but did not ensure she had a secure environment waiting for her when she was discharged. Her family wasn't in Israel, so it's unclear what they knew.

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