Research shows that 50%-80% of women diagnosed with chronic psychological disorders were sexually abused in the past. Many women with psychological disorders come to our rape crisis centers and do not want any contact with the mental health system; some of these women developed the symptoms of their psychological disorders because of the sexual abuse that they had experienced. In light of this occurrence, we believe it is important to provide tools to mental health professionals on how to identify and treat incidents of sexual abuse amongst women with psychological disorders.
As part of a long-term project with Bizchut, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health we have opened training sessions for interdisciplinary medical staffs in psychiatric hospitals around Israel, as well as for mental health caregivers. The goal of these training sessions is to create a change in the level awareness, as well as the knowledge and tools that medical professionals use for dealing with sexual assault in order to provide proper care for victims of sexual assault.