Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli, who is also the chairwoman of the Ministerial Committee on Gender Equality, announced on Sunday that the state has appropriated 155 million shekels ($50 million) for a national plan to combat violence against women.
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"It's time we moved from words to deeds," Michaeli said at the first meeting of the committee, which was formed last month.
Michaeli and Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar are working together to pass legislation to recognize violence exerted economically.
"We will take steps to prevent it, also this is something that it is time to have in our law book. It is not a matter of interpretation, not a matter of mistake, but simply forbidden violence even if it is done by economic means," the minister said.
According to Michaeli, violence against women must be seen as a societal challenge that requires protection and help for victims.
"These 155 million shekels that we will spend on care, education, repression, all these things that will stop this terrible violence and allow us to move forward to equality and a life without violence," she added.
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The number of domestic violence complaints in Israel jumped 315% in 2020, during the first year of the Covid pandemic, according to a study released last week by the Women's International Zionist Organization.
According to the report, 26 murders against women were committed in Israel in 2020, up from 17 in 2019.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
