MDA: We’ve worked to combat alleged sexual harassment

MDA said it regards “with great seriousness the phenomenon of sexual harassment and is acting with determination in every case when a complaint is received.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Ambulance (photo credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM JERUSALEM)
Ambulance
(photo credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM JERUSALEM)
Magen David Adom says it has already implemented a variety of measures intended to combat alleged sexual harassment of teenage women volunteers with the first aid organization.
MDA said it regards “with great seriousness the phenomenon of sexual harassment and is acting with determination in every case when a complaint is received.
We are ready to act in full cooperation with the relevant bodies to prevent sexual harassment and to deal with the matter in the most basic and comprehensive way.”
The issue was discussed Wednesday in a meeting of the Knesset Committee for the Advancement of Women. The session was called to deal with claims raised in a recent two-part Channel 1 report that featured complaints from teenage girls working on ambulances and in stations about “sexual harassment and even an alleged rape by an MDA manager.”
Committee chairman MK Aida Touma-Sliman charged the Health Ministry with “delaying for four years the making of changes that could have prevented the occurrences. It’s sad that only this morning did we hear that directives to make the changes have just been signed in the ministry.”
MDA added on Thursday that “one must take into consideration the fact that MDA has 15,000 employees and volunteers who all do holy work, and a whole organization should not be besmirched because of those cases that were brought to our attention and handled very seriously as required.”