The Resonse of the Justice System in Israel to the Rape of Tourists and of Israeli Women

A substantial proportion of the reported cases of forcible rape in Israel are committed against young female tourists. The media provide extended coverage of these cases and emphasize the severe punishments imposed on the offenders, implying that the justice system regards raping a tourist as a more heinous crime than raping a local woman. Similar statements appear in judicial decisions. Reasons offered include damage to the state and to the tourist industry as well as to the victims. The present study analyzes the sentences passed on the 164 persons charged with forcible rape who were convicted in the Israeli courts during 1982–83. The unexpectedfinding is that none of the variables with a significant impact on the severity of the sentence is directly related to the victim.