Men's Calls to Helplines Surge 81% in Two Years
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
Calls from men to sexual assault helplines in Israel have surged by 81% in two years, reaching 3,364 in 2025. The Tel Aviv Assistance Center attributes the increase to the war and the testimonies of former hostages. Most callers are men in their 30s disclosing childhood abuse, though shame remains a barrier. A conference on male sexual assault is scheduled for next week.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Male calls to sexual assault helplines rose 81% in two years, reaching 3,364 in 2025.
- The Tel Aviv Assistance Center links the surge to the war and former hostage testimonies.
- Most male callers are in their 30s, reporting childhood sexual abuse.
- Shame and fear of disbelief remain significant barriers for male victims.
- A conference on male sexual assault is scheduled to take place next week.
- An Ashkelon resident was indicted for creating software to document minors.
The center attributes this rise to the war and the exposure of sexual abuse experienced by former hostages. In 2025, the male helplines received 3,364 calls, a 54% increase from 2,180 calls in 2024. These figures include calls to a dedicated hotline for religious and ultra-Orthodox men. From the beginning of 2026 until the end of September, 2,848 calls were received, marking an additional 15% increase compared to the same period last year.
Most callers are men in their 30s who disclose sexual abuse they suffered in childhood. Despite the increase in calls, many men still face barriers of shame and fear of not being believed, the Assistance Center stated.
He added, "The former hostages brought a new message.
In related news, a resident of Ashkelon has been indicted for developing software to infiltrate computers and document minors, related to raising awareness of sexual violence committed by Hamas.
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