David Schwimmer Calls Out Advocacy Groups That Don’t Believe Hamas Sexual Assault Survivors: ‘Where Is Their Outrage?’

December 30, 2023 @ 11:49 AM

“Friends” star David Schwimmer decried what he says is a lack of support for survivors of sexual assault committed by Hamas forces as part of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel

The actor pointed to various sexual violence organizations and advocates who he says are failing when it comes to those women. “They’ll fight like hell for all victims of sexual violence — unless they’re Jews,” he wrote.

“I served on the Board of Directors for The Rape Foundation for almost 20 years, and have been an advocate for child and adult survivors of sexual violence for almost 30,” Schwimmer wrote on Instagram in a Friday post, detailing how he has met the :most incredible and courageous people in my life through this work.”

He went on to note that a “crucial aspect” of the healing process — and “for justice to be served by the criminal offenders” — “is that the survivor be believed” regardless of their age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, education or economic status.

“There are incredible organizations and individuals that I count as allies in this work. Who for years have stood up and fought for survivors of rape and sexual assault, demanding justice — many of whom are survivors themselves,” he continued. “And yet… Why do so many refuse to believe — despite all the evidence on camera and in testimony — the women, children and men brutally assaulted by terrorists on Oct. 7th? Where is their outrage?”

Since the Oct. 7 attack, Schwimmer noted that the lack of support from these allies has proven that their activism and advocacy is “conditional” based on their religion.

“They’ll fight like hell for all victims of sexual violence — unless they’re Jews,” he wrote. “For many of them, denying it even happened is a convenient way of avoiding compassion and personal responsibility.”

Schwimmer posted his comments alongside a New York Times article, titled “‘Screams Without Words’: How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on Oct. 7,” and shared his hope that the article will “finally make [the organizations and advocates] realize they got it wrong, and come to terms with their unconscious bias.”

The article, published Thursday, details the gender-based violence perpetrated against Israeli women and girls during the Oct. 7 attack as revealed by interviews with over 150 people, video footage, photographs, GPS data from phones that made up the Times’ two-month investigation into the pattern of sexual assault during the incident.

“As they know better than most — their refusal to believe the survivors has re-traumatized them, as well as their families, friends, and those of us who did believe them,” Schwimmer wrote. “But they can use their voice now. And it would be great to know who the real allies are.”