Gynecologist Prof. Menachem Elkalay was convicted of multiple offenses of rape by fraud in the Tel Aviv District Court on Tuesday.
Judges ruled in their decision that the crimes were carried out by exploiting the trust placed in him by his patients and by creating a false impression that the sexual assaults were part of a medical examination or treatment.
In August of 2024, a serious indictment was filed against Elkalay, who previously served as the director of the urogynecology unit at Sheba Medical Center and Tzafon Medical Center.
The indictment followed testimony from more than 35 women in 2021, who alleged that they were sexually assaulted during medical examinations he performed.
He was charged with a series of sexual offenses, including multiple counts of rape by fraud regarding the nature of the act and sodomy by fraud against patients.
The indictment detailed that between 2013 and 2021, in nine separate cases and in different clinics, Elkalay exploited his position, the trust placed in him, and the physical condition of the complainants while they were being examined.
According to the indictment, during gynecological examinations or medical treatments, he inserted his fingers into the complainants’ vaginas and simultaneously massaged their clitorises, in a manner that appeared to be part of the examination or medical treatment.
According to the verdict, it was determined that the acts were carried out with consent obtained by deception regarding their nature.
During the investigation, 20 complaints were filed against Elkalay with the police. Women who testified to investigators said they were sexually assaulted by him while being examined at his clinic.
After the case came to light, he was initially suspended from Sheba Medical Center, but he continued to see patients in his private practice.
The verdict issued on Tuesday concludes a lengthy criminal proceeding that began following a wave of testimony that emerged about four years ago, centered on claims by patients that the acts performed on them were presented as an integral part of the medical procedure, while, according to the court’s ruling, they constituted sexual offenses carried out fraudulently.
Source:
www.jpost.com
