On Monday May 28th 2007 Liz Halevy Berger, HRCC Counseling Coordinator, met with the participants and group therapy leaders of the HRCC-organized support group for kibbutz and moshavim women who were sexually abused during their childhood.

The group's co-therapists are both from the Valley area and they are: Barbara Ashkenazi, MSW former director of family therapy as the Malkishua drug rehabilitation center in the Gilboa and Yael Goldblatt, certified therapist in creative and expressive therapy, presently employed an art therapist the Malkishua drug rehabilitation center in the Gilboa. The group of eight survivors began in December and has met for 23 two-hour sessions.

The group was originally scheduled for 20 meetings.  Due to the success of the group, five women and the two group therapists requested that the group continue for 25 sessions. Liz explained to the group that it is very important to the HRCC to receive feedback on the support groups and that it is also important to our donors to hear from the group’s participants about the group experience.

The women were given an evaluation form to complete and one woman immediately wrote a letter and another said she could not write down what she felt but she told Liz the following:

“Because of the group I am a different woman.  I had been in a support group before, but after my experience in this group I now realize that only now was I ready to participate in a support group and to take from it what I need.  Before this group I could never cry, and in the group I let myself cry.  I could say whatever I wanted, and I could be exactly who I am without pretending.  I tend to be cynical and I was reluctant to join this group and had my doubts about the art therapy aspect of the group but I now know how essential it is to helping us heal.”

This is a translation of the letter given to Liz:

“The group therapists Yael and Barbara are amazing angels that want to help all the time. I can be silent and the therapists and the other women understand me and do not judge me. In this precious group you do not need to put on a mask, they accept you as you are with a lot of love and with endless support, encouragement, the feeling of home. It feels safe, comfortable and warm to know that we have a place in the heart of people that we did not previously know.

It warms the heart. It gives a good feeling to know that someone cares about me and I hope this wonderful place will stay and serve other women that will unfortunately experience trauma. I wish the group therapists strength. And to those who donate their money and time I wish endless warmth, love and encouragement.

Accepting us as we are, listening, helping, the endless warm, supportive and honest words. The support and help is with me in every place and time. Thank you is a small word with great power.  The group therapists and the women are the engine that motivates the group. I would be happy to help women that experienced what I have experienced and to give as much support as I can and to continue a normal and proper life as much as possible. Life is beautiful and there are precious and good people that we need to meet.

One must not fear to ask help from these precious people. If only women would not be raped and if they are then they should meet with amazing, wonderful people.  Warmth, love and care is the worth everything.

The women who are raped are not to blame.”