Rahel Gershuni (Rachel Gershoni)

Rahel Gershuni, Israel's National Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator, began coordinating government efforts informally, and then was given her present position.

Even though she worked a job that was unrelated to the anti-trafficking field, she began to advocate for anti-trafficking measures at the governmental level in 2002. For four years, she applied her incredible dedication to combatting this issue, despite her work being done on a part-time basis. She learned about the issue firsthand—helping a survivor to try and get through the system. She has advocated for the reform of policies, including adjusting the criminal penalties to be victim-sensitive and perpetrator-oriented. She influenced many key people, and made incredible strides. In 2006, she was given a Trafficking in Persons Hero Award in recognition of her incredible efforts. That same year, her position was formalized, and she became the National Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator. Similarly, she was instrumental in a piece of legislation being passed that year concerning trafficking. It was a comprehensive law, followed by policies she implemented, and has led to Israel moving from a Tier 2 Watch List classification in the 2006 TIP Report, to a Tier 1 classification since 2012. She has been active in helping Israel to develop shelters, better immigration policies and procedures with regards to possible trafficking victims, legal aid for victims, and better border monitoring.

In the 2014 TIP Report, Israel was still listed as a Tier 1 country. It is a primarily a destination country for forced labor, and sex trafficking. Many migrants, legal or illegal, are at-risk for trafficking situations.