Guns in homes a lethal threat to women

In the last eight years 24 people, 12 of them women, in Israel, have been killed in their homes by guns handled by security guards. A study made by the organisation Isha L´Isha shows that employees of security companies take their guns with them home at the end of the working day, thereby exposing their families to great risks. To reduce the number of weapons in the Israeli society, and to save lives, Isha L´Isha has launched the campaign ”The Gun on the Kitchen Table”.

There are 440 registered security companies in Israel, and a number of unregistered ones. 90 000 people work within these companies, some of them as security guards. That equals around 3 per cent of the working force in the country. Many of them are armed. The total amount of guns in the Israeli society, other than those within the military, have increased heavily during the last 15 years.

- Israel is a militarised society through and through. There are armed security guards standing outside restaurants, companies, official buildings and schools and weapons are everywhere. Noone questions it, it´s wholly accepted. The guards are considered necessary for our safety, says Rela Mazali, campaign manager at Isha L´Isha.

- Our government has commissioned private companies to uphold the nations security and thereby given up the responsibility for how the work´s being managed. We don´t have any joint supervision of all these security companies and their way of working.

Women at most risk
The campaign is focused on the problem with security guards bringing their guns into their homes and thereby putting their family members at risk.
- There aren´t any public debates on how weaponalised our society has become. We know that women are the ones most threatened by guns in the homes, because they are the ones often staying at home. But women´s safety is never part of the discussions on how to create a safe and secure Israel, says Rela Mazali.

After the occurance of several high profile violent crimes, involving guns from security guards, a law on regulation of guns was passed in 2008. It states that security companies are obliged to have custom made safes, where guns should be placed at the end of the working day. But the law has not been implemented. According to the government it would be too expensive. The companies are said not to be able to afford creating safer routines for the handling of guns.

Meeting with politicians
Last December Rela Mazali, and other activists working with the campaign, had a meeting with the parliament committee responsible for security issues. They presented their demands on the law on guns being put to use and security companies having to control their guns.
- It was a very positive meeting. The committee has now demanded of the government to implement the law within two months. We don´t think it will happen that soon, but it´s a good start, says Rela Mazali.

Besides working politically, the campaign also targets the general public. On the 25 November, the International day on violence against women, they held demonstrations in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. They have also produced a film on the issue, that is being distributed via social media.
- Our goal is to get a critical review of the militarisation of our society. We have to raise the awareness of how big a security threat small arms are. Since people have shown to be very ignorant of the problems with guns handled by security companies, we are hopeful that we can make them aware and gain their support, says Rela Mazali.

The Gun on the Kitchen Table is run by Isha L´Isha – Feminist Center, Coalition of Women for Peace, The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Itach - Women Lawyers for Social Justice, The Noga Center for Victims of Crime and  L.O. - Combat Violence Against Women.

Åsa Carlman