Hospital Nurse Convicted of Raping Colleague During Night Shift

A Lod District Court unanimously convicted a registered nurse of rape and indecent assault against a female colleague during a night shift at a hospital. The court found the complainant's testimony credible without reservation, stating, "We found her account to be entirely credible." The incident occurred on December 18, 2024, around 4:02 AM, when the two were alone near the nurses' station. The convicted nurse allegedly touched the complainant over her clothes and then engaged her in a conversation about his sexual difficulties with his wife. He then asked her to accompany him to a supply room, where he subsequently locked the door and sexually assaulted her. The complainant testified that she told him to stop and release her, explicitly stating she did not want to engage in sexual activity. The nurse claimed the sexual encounter was consensual and denied using force. The complainant reported the incident shortly after to a senior nurse and the hospital's gender equality officer, who testified in court. She asserted that consent requires an affirmative 'yes,' not the absence of a 'no,' and that her words and actions clearly indicated refusal. The judges noted the complainant's consistent and clear account, explaining her actions and inactions convincingly. They found her testimony sincere and credible, attributing her difficulty in resisting to shock, surprise, fear, and a potential freeze response due to past trauma. The court dismissed the defense's argument that the nurse's respect for her refusal of oral sex indicated his good faith or the complainant's true desire, stating her negative response was clear. The judges also cited external evidence supporting the complainant's version, including her psychological state after the event, her reporting the incident within three days, security footage, and parts of the defendant's own statements.