Representatives of the RAIA Project met with the German Ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, and presented the project’s work and the lessons emerging from the documentation of the sexual crimes committed during the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Michael Rimmel, Head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Israel Office, one of the organizations supporting the project; Professor Yifat Bitton, founder of the RAIA Project; and Adv. Shir Bukra, a member of the RAIA Project’s research team.
The discussion focused on ways to embed the project’s findings and lessons within the international arena, particularly by advancing recognition of sexual violence as a weapon of terrorism and war, and by translating the knowledge gathered into professional standards in the fields of law, education, prevention, and international cooperation.
The meeting also highlighted Germany’s important role in advancing the issue at both the public and political levels, raising awareness, and contributing to the development of international tools and standards for addressing sexual crimes in contexts of terrorism and armed conflict.
The RAIA Project seeks not only to document these crimes, but also to transform its findings and lessons into practical action that can support the identification of sexual violence, prevent the loss of evidence, and advance accountability and justice.
