Religious Zionism plan criticized for 'protecting rapists, pedophiles'

Religious Zionism's plan was intended to combat false complaints, and includes a number of steps including forcing those who file complaints about sexual or domestic violence to affirm that they are aware of potential legal repercussions of filing a false complaint and forming a national registry of "false complaint filers."

The plan states that these steps, and others, would greatly reduce the number of false complaints filed, creating a healthier, more just society.

Some expressed concern that the real repercussions of the plan would include preventing women from reporting sexual offenses against them when only 6% of sexual offenses are reported to authorities in Israel, according to the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, who cited information from Israel's Public Security Ministry.

Former Mk Rachel Azaria expressed disbelief at Religious Zionism's plan to open a public database of false complaint filers in a Facebook post. "As soon as the name of a woman or a child is in the database, it should be clear to you that anyone can freely rape them because they are false complaint filers and who will believe them?" asked Azaria. 

"Israel does not have a public database for pedophiles, so [it should have one] for those who complain about pedophilia and rape?!" wrote Azaria. 

"In reality, the plan would serve to protect rapists and pedophiles," Azaria went on to say. "It would prevent complaints about rape and pedophilia by scaring victims with extreme punishments," Azaria explained, saying that "it already takes enormous strength to submit a complaint about rape or pedophilia."