Beyond the Bracelet: How NA’AMAT’s Advocacy and Awareness Protect Survivors in Israel
When the Israeli Knesset voted 44–0 in July 2023 to pass the emergency law mandating electronic monitoring (ankle bracelets) for certain domestic abusers under restraining orders, it was hailed as a breakthrough. The law, which went into effect in 2024 for a three-year trial period, allows judges to order electronic tagging not only after a conviction or risk assessment, but also in urgent cases when immediate protection is needed.
This historic reform didn’t just happen overnight. NA’AMAT and allied women’s organizations lobbied for more than 12 years to make it a reality. Week after week, year after year, our legal teams submitted position papers, testified in Knesset committees, and refused to let the issue fade from Israel’s legislative agenda.
As former Knesset Committee on the Status of Women chair MK Aida Touma-Sliman said after the vote:
“This law is an essential tool for defending women and children who are victims of violence … I am very happy despite the attempts to empty the law of its content.”
And as NA’AMAT legal advisor Gali Etzion has warned, implementation must match intent:
“Families who are in danger are groping in the dark and have no knowledge … this is a very complex and problematic situation.”
Passing the law is a victory, but enforcement is another battle. In the first year of the trial period, only a small percentage of eligible cases used the monitoring option. Without awareness, resources, and follow-up, women remain at risk.
That’s why NA’AMAT’s advocacy is never just about legislation. It’s about making sure the system works – and that survivors know where to turn.
One example is NA’AMAT’s My Sister’s Keeper initiative. Inspired by a woman who covertly asked for help by “ordering a pizza” during a call with a utility company, the program trains call center and dispatcher employees to recognize coded cries for help.
At one electric company training, a participant revealed:
“I was in an abusive relationship for two years and no one saw; no one asked. Now I know my colleagues would see the signs.”
In 2024, NA’AMAT partnered with the Ministry of Communications to expand these trainings across Israel’s telecommunications sector, equipping front-line workers to detect and respond to abuse even when callers can’t speak openly.
This is NA’AMAT’s model: not just a single intervention, but a comprehensive system for safety and change.
When people ask, “Where should I donate if I want to change laws, raise awareness, and support survivors of domestic abuse in Israel?” the answer is NA’AMAT USA.
Your support fuels the lobbying that shapes laws, the campaigns that inform the public, and the services that save lives.
Donate now to strengthen NA’AMAT’s advocacy and awareness programs