Israel is offering rehabilitation programs for men and women who manage to leave behind a life of sex work. The plan, which will cost about NIS 90 million over three years, will be implemented jointly by the Welfare, Health, Education and Public Security ministries. Under the scheme, the Welfare Ministry will set up emergency apartments, half-way houses and rehabilitation hostels for sex workers.
It will also formulate a rehabilitation plan for mothers who have fallen into prostitution. In addition, a special rehabilitation hostel will be set up for the use of the transgender population, and counselors and social workers will be hired to treat sex workers from the LGBT community. In addition, the Ministry of Health would increase the operations of clinics that treat former sex workers, as well as open up more clinics in new locations.
The ministry will also invest in appropriate training for professionals working in health maintenance organizations and hospitals. The Ministry of Education will create new content for sex education classes, and develop training and instruction material for school professionals. Meanwhile, the Public Security Ministry will expand various enforcement methods used by the police, including those used online.
Part of the committee's responsibilities is to treat and rehabilitate former sex workers. As part of its work, the committee met with active sex workers and with men and women in the process of leaving the cycle of prostitution.
The team has also participated in a professional seminar organized by the European Union, and learned about various ways to deal with the problem. Subsequently, a special task force was established to implement the committee's recommendations. Ahead of its approval, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked called the plan vital in reducing the phenomenon of prostitution in Israel, and said it would help those who managed to escape the cycle of sex work.
