LSE Feminist & Palestine Society Deny Hamas’ Sexual Violence
On October 15th, The London School of Economics’ Students Justice for Palestine Society & The LSE Feminism Society created a joint post, urging LSE management to “cancel the egregious Dinah event on 16/10.” The event was titled “A Quest for Justice – October 7 and Beyond,” in reference to The Dinah Project’s fight for justice and recognition for the dozens of women affected by sexual violence during Hamas’ attack on October 7th, 2023.
The Use of Sexual Violence on October 7th
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel by land, air and sea, murdering over 1000 civilians and taking some 251 men, women and children hostage. However, as the events of that day started to become clearer, it was found that Hamas had systematically used sexual violence as a weapon of war. As affirmed by the United Nations, there were “reasonable grounds” to confirm that conflict-related sexual violence had taken place in multiple locations, including the site of the Nova Music Festival, Route 232 and Kibbutz Re’Im. The UN also gathered that there was “convincing information” to suggest that Hamas had sexually assaulted female hostages in captivity.
What The Dinah Report Reveals
Released in July 2025, The Dinah report reveals a shocking truth: Hamas used rape and sexual violence against women as a tactical weapon. The 70-page report, aimed at creating a pathway for justice for those affected by sexual violence on October 7th, reviewed thousands of testimonies and forensic, video and audio evidence. What emerges from the report is both shocking and profoundly disturbing. Witnesses that day reported at least four separate cases of gang rape; eight other cases of severe sexual assault; and three separate cases of mutilation. The report also noted several testimonies of sexual, verbal and physical assault against women held in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
The Shocking Response from LSE Student Societies
When it was announced that LSE would host representatives from The Dinah Project, outrage quickly followed from the university’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Feminist Society. In a lengthy post authored by SJP and endorsed by the Feminist Society, the groups dismissed the UN-backed report as having a “propagandist tone,” arguing it was both inadequate and instrumentalized to support Israel’s war against Hamas. Across multiple slides, their central claim was that there was “not enough evidence” to prove widespread sexual violence on October 7, blatantly overlooking the fact that many victims were murdered, and countless others have been unable to come forward due to trauma and fear.
As October 16th arrived, rather than cutting their losses, LSE’s SJP chose to also protest the event. Yes, they protested an event talking about Israeli victims of rape, calling them “genocide apologists.”
What Happened to Believe All Women?
In Britain, we hear too many harrowing stories of women and girls experiencing sexual assault in our communities. Feminist societies at British universities frequently address these topics, often citing the phrase “Believe Women.” This slogan arose following the #MeToo movement in America. It refers to accepting women’s allegations of sexual abuse at face value. For many survivors of sexual violence, the prospect of speaking out remains an almost impossible challenge as they are often shamed, disbelieved or told there is not enough evidence. Yet for the Israeli women who found the strength to relive their trauma and speak out in pursuit of justice, their pain is dismissed by LSE students as “lacking evidence.” Their courage is met not with empathy, but with denial.
Concluding Thoughts
We’ve already seen our universities filled with students proudly supporting murderous “resistance” groups like Hamas. Extremism has been normalized. Antisemitism has been normalized. But I never imagined that my fellow students would go so far as to deny the mass rape and sexual violence inflicted on Israeli women, simply because it doesn’t fit their narrative.
