Google Israel raises awareness of violence against women

Google Israel on Thursday launched an information box for victims of domestic violence with details of helplines that can provide professional assistance in real-time. 

The announcement came days before Israel marked its Remembrance Day for victims of violence against women on Thursday.

“Women are not raised to talk about negative things, not being successful in our relationships,” Roxy Cruz, a senior PR executive and entrepreneur, told i24NEWS. 

“I have a friend who was a victim of domestic violence for over 22 years. She told me she was embarrassed. We are all raised to keep quiet when things are not good.”

According to the Women’s International Zionist Organization, domestic violence complaints in Israel spiked by over 300 percent since 2019.

The Israeli initiative of female Google employees will direct a victim to helpline information when they search trigger words such as “my partner beat me” or “threatened me.”

Cruz noted that shame plays a factor in domestic violence.

“Talkative, assertive women are not as desirable as delicate women. We tend to put our manners and politeness over our personal security,” she said to i24NEWS.

A recent Tel Aviv University study indicated that some women who suffer from domestic violence develop a survival mechanism that triggers an identification with their attacker, a sort of “Stockholm Syndrome.”

“Women try to find a silver lining about their situation. It's a survival mechanism, to not talk about it or to minimize what’s going on.”

“We grow up with the idea that somebody hits you because they love you.”

In 2017, Israel introduced a five-year plan to combat violence against women with a focus on victim treatment, targeted law enforcement, and rehabilitating abusers.