Escort Accused of Harassing Teen with Disabilities Transferred, Not Fired

A mother in central Israel has accused an adult escort, assigned to her 13-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy and a rare syndrome, of sexual harassment. The mother, suspicious of the escort's behavior, placed a recording device in her daughter's bag. The recording captured the escort suggesting to the girl that they go to the beach and swim naked together. The escort also made comments about the police potentially arresting them if they were caught.

Following the recording, the mother filed complaints with both the police and the municipality. She was shocked to discover that the escort was not suspended but instead transferred to escorting other teenagers. The mother expressed concern that the escort might harass other young people, stating, "If the escort allowed himself to speak like that to my daughter, what will stop him from speaking and behaving like that to other girls?"

The mother had previously requested that her daughter be assigned a female escort due to her daughter's age and vulnerability, but this request was reportedly not fulfilled. The escort had also allegedly brought gifts for the girl and attempted to contact her outside of work hours. The mother also claimed the escort repeatedly ignored her requests not to physically assist her daughter with tasks like buckling her seatbelt, which she felt was an attempt to maintain physical contact.

The municipality stated that a comprehensive investigation was conducted and that the escort had stopped escorting the specific girl. However, they claimed the mother refused to provide them with the recording, citing the ongoing police investigation. They invited the mother to share the recording directly with the municipality's anti-harassment officer. The police confirmed that an initial investigation was closed but has since been reopened for further action.