Silenced No More – Sexual Terror Unveiled

On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, the webinar “Silenced No More – Sexual Terror Unveiled: The Untold Atrocities of October 7 and Against the Captive Hostages” was held, organized by ADEI WIZO. This event represented a watershed moment in the contemporary civil, social, and legal landscape. The conference was a resounding success, attracting over 400 participants from various countries: a vast, international audience that united the Jewish world with a large representation of external civil society, all united in the firm desire to break down the wall of silence and indifference that too often surrounds gender-based violence, used as a systematic weapon of terrorism and war.
Moderated with great authority and sensitivity by Daniela Dawan, a judge of the Court of Cassation and a writer, the conference was divided into complementary sessions, dedicated respectively to the rigorous documentation of the crimes, the legal aspects, and the crucial issue of global collective responsibility in the face of such atrocities.
It was clear that each presentation was the fruit of immense and meticulous individual research by the speakers, supported by impeccable organizational structure. The profound impact of the meeting was determined precisely by the level of preparation, scientific excellence, and depth of the speakers.
In this context, the most touching and extraordinarily emotional moment was the speech by Baruch Niddam, Director of ZAKA‘s International Division. The Israeli organization, always at the forefront of the painful and sacred humanitarian task of recovering and identifying victims, offered through Niddam’s words a firsthand account that deeply moved the audience, restoring a voice and dignity to the victims of October 7th and the heartbreaking tragedy of the hostages.
The webinar thus benefited from extraordinary international contributions, also the result of a huge fieldwork effort. Cochav Elkayam-Levy, an international law expert, founder and chair of the Civil Commission on October 7 Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children, and recipient of the prestigious 2024 Israel Prize, offered a crucial overview of evidence gathering, while Vardit Avidan, a lawyer at World WIZO and an active member of the R.A.I.A. project research team, shared her experience, which she has also brought to the United Nations for the development of specific international protocols against sexual crimes in terrorist contexts.
The debate continued with the participation of esteemed and authoritative figures from the Italian social, scientific, and civil society scene, who enriched the discussion with insightful and profound analyses. Among them were Linda Laura Sabbadini, former Director of ISTAT and a leading expert in the study of gender policies; Elisabetta Camussi, Associate Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Milan-Bicocca and an expert on discrimination and equal opportunities; and Paola Concia, former Member of Parliament and a long-time activist on the front lines for the protection of civil rights.
The event concluded with the words of Susanna Sciaky, National President of ADEI WIZO, who emphasized that studying, witnessing, and documenting these phenomena represent not only a duty to remember, but the first essential step in combating suppression, reawakening civil conscience, and building effective tools for prevention and justice at the global level.

Eva Vitali Norsa