Today, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Mrs. Michal Herzog, the first lady, hosted the launch event for the **”Purple Card.”** This joint project, spearheaded by the Ministry of Health, the Briah Foundation, and the Israeli Society for the Promotion, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Sexual Harm, aims to fundamentally change healthcare treatment for sexual assault survivors and enhance their care experience.
The card’s launch signifies a major step toward integrating the principle of **”Trauma-Informed Care”** in Israel, a concept receiving particular emphasis since the events of October 7. This approach stresses a deep understanding of how trauma impacts reactions during medical encounters and promotes respectful, safe treatment tailored to the specific needs of all patients.
The Purple Card enables people who have experienced sexual trauma to non-verbally communicate their history to medical teams, especially when direct conversation is difficult or impossible. Presenting the card guides medical staff to proceed with awareness, sensitivity, and personalized care, which improves the treatment experience, increases patient trust, and helps prevent triggering events during medical intervention. A pilot conducted in women’s wards at Israeli hospitals has already demonstrated the card’s effectiveness in enhancing the patient experience and fostering care based on understanding, empathy, and sensitivity.
The Purple Card was initially developed by the Briah Foundation and HIPAM in consultation with sexual harm survivors and in collaboration with medical, therapeutic, and social professionals. The Ministry of Health joined the initiative to provide national oversight and support its system-wide implementation.
The Purple Card is currently being implemented throughout the healthcare system.
To download the card and for more information: www.briah.org/pcard
First Lady Michal Herzog: ״The Purple Card initiative we are launching here today was born from listening to sexual assault survivors who frequently encounter immense difficulty in interactions with the healthcare system. This challenge creates intense vigilance and the dangerous potential for re-traumatization when medical staff lack awareness, sensitivity, or attention to the patient’s wounded emotional state. This card acts as a voice in moments when speech is impossible, providing words where they are so difficult to articulate. It is a simple yet profoundly innovative tool that signals a revolution for survivors—promoting beneficial and tailored communication between patients and medical teams.
It is necessary to eradicate violence through enforcement, by imposing severe and deterrent punishments on offenders, and by strictly safeguarding the lives of survivors, among many other tools. However, the bright message emerging today reminds us of the immense power of human compassion, solidarity, tenderness, and goodness—the power of dispelling darkness by increasing the light.”
Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Director General of the Ministry of Health: “I will begin by thanking the First Lady and the Office of the President. Your commitment to health is evident through real actions, not just words, and has been sustained throughout your tenure, making a tangible contribution to the field. Thank you very much to both you and the president.
Two core principles are reflected here. The first is creating a system adapted to the needs of every individual. The healthcare system is vast and complex, and for years, we have strived to place the patient at the center—organizing the system around the patient’s needs, rather than the system’s own requirements. This effort is embodied by the Purple Card, which helps us provide care that is not just fast and efficient but perfectly tailored to the patient’s needs. This personalization is crucial for their ability to heal, recover, and move forward with their lives.
The second principle is collaboration. Systemic change can only be achieved through partnerships—with the First Lady, the Briah Foundation, HIPAM, and the professional community represented here. This collective approach generates a deep understanding of the need for change and provides the ability to implement it, which is the driving force behind this entire initiative.
The Purple Card, launched here today, is the beginning of a long journey. The next step is deep implementation within hospitals through direct interaction between staff and patients. This direct engagement will ensure real change, moving the initiative beyond mere policy or statement.
Looking ahead, I would like to see more men in the audience. While women are disproportionately exposed to violence and sexual harm, the responsibility for eradication and response is not theirs alone; it must be shared by men and viewed as a national mission.
Referencing the First Lady’s quote, “Where there is shadow, there is also light”—The light is you and your strength to carry out this mission. We are in complex times; the war continues to affect us, and we are waiting for the return of two hostages. Amidst this uncertainty, we are proud of the healthcare system for continuing to handle both urgent and essential missions. Thank you for your year-round work, which ensures the public maintains trust in the healthcare system.
I want to thank the Briah Foundation and HIPAM. Special thanks to Dr. Yael Gur, Director of the National Service for Social Work, and Dr. Zohar Saar Lavi, Director of the Ministry’s Department for the Treatment of Domestic Violence and Sexual Harm, who championed the launch of the Purple Card within the Ministry and the healthcare system. Thank you also to Dr. Ricardo Nachman for his work over the past two years, especially in recent weeks.”
Dr. Inbal Brenner, Chairperson of the Israeli Society for the Promotion, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Sexual Harm (HIPAM): “The card was born from a need expressed by both patients and therapists and has evolved into a powerful collaboration between professional and activist organizations. The Ministry of Health‘s adoption of this tool is an exciting milestone and proof of its genuine necessity.”
Sara Tankman, CEO of the Briah Foundation: “Sexual harm is an often-invisible trauma that impacts all aspects of life, including the ability to access healthcare services. The Purple Card enables people to communicate this difficulty non-verbally to medical teams and receive trauma-informed care. This marks the start of a revolution where all medical teams will receive training for this sensitive and tailored treatment. Thank you to the First Lady, the Director General of the Ministry of Health, and all our partners who made this possible. The road ahead is long, but we will continue to work together so the Purple Card becomes a shared language and the change transforms into a new reality.”
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