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Israeli women chime in on #MeToo campaign

The avalanche of sexual abuse scandals in the United States has empowered prominent Israeli women to come forward about their stories of sexual harassment and assault.
Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav (C) arrives at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, to hear the verdict of his appeal on a rape conviction, November 10, 2011. Katsav had denied charges he twice raped an aide when he was a cabinet minister in the late 1990s, and molested or sexually harassed two other women who worked for him during his 2000-2007 term as president.       REUTERS/Nir Elias (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS CRIME LAW) - GM1E7BA16NM01
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The Weinstein effect is spreading. The American actresses who have gone public with their stories about Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein over the past month undoubtedly inspired Israeli women to speak openly to the media about the men who harassed and assaulted them. There have been dozens of recent headlines about sexual harassment and assault in Israel. One common denominator among so many of them is that the women sharing their stories are well-known, influential figures at the top of their professions.

For the past few years, most of the stories that have come out about sexual assault have featured perpetrators in positions of power over their victims. Senior Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officers were accused of assault, such as retired general and former Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai, Ofek Buchris and Liran Hajbi, and major political figures including former President Moshe Katsav, former ministers Haim Ramon and Silvan Shalom, Knesset member Yinon Magal and highly regarded actor Moshe Ivgy.

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