Escort Accused of Harassing Teen with Disabilities Transferred to New Route
A mother in central Israel has reported an adult escort assigned to her 13-year-old daughter, who has cerebral palsy and a rare syndrome, for alleged harassment. The mother, suspicious of the escort's behavior, placed a recording device in her daughter's bag and captured a conversation where the escort suggested they go to the beach and swim naked together. The escort can be heard on the recording saying, "We said we're going to the beach... tomorrow... but no swimsuit... I don't have a swimsuit either... we'll go in naked... oh dear, the police will come and think we're crazy."
The mother contacted both the police and the municipality, expecting the escort to be suspended pending an investigation. However, she was reportedly shocked to discover that he was not only still employed but had been reassigned to a different transportation route for other teenagers. "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?" she questioned.
The mother stated that her daughter, who has difficulty understanding certain situations and cannot easily defend herself, has required close supervision. For two years, she had requested a female escort for her daughter due to her daughter entering adolescence and concerns about potential exploitation. The current escort was assigned in April, and while initially things seemed fine, the mother began noticing suspicious behavior, including the escort bringing gifts and attempting to contact her outside of work hours.
The municipality confirmed that a formal complaint was filed and an investigation was conducted, including interviewing various parties. They stated that the escort stopped accompanying the specific girl. However, the mother feels that simply moving him to another route does not address her concerns, emphasizing that children with special needs may not fully grasp such situations. She added that even if no criminal act occurred, such comments are inappropriate for any teenager, especially one with special needs.
The municipality stated they take the safety of students seriously and noted that the mother refused to provide them with the recording, citing the ongoing police investigation. They invited her to share the full 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 to ascertain the truth.