Prominent LGBT rights activist Gal Uchovsky accused of sexually assaulting men

The Kan public broadcaster publishes testimonies of men who say that screenwriter and producer Gal Uchovsky, one of the most prominent LGBT rights activists in Israel, sexually assaulted them in recent years.

Uchovsky, a popular TV personality, reacts to the exposé by apologizing and saying he is stepping down as president of IGY – Israel Gay Youth, a prominent nonprofit organization.

According to Kan, an unnamed man says that a year and a half ago, Uchovsky assaulted him during a prearranged sexual encounter between the two, violating the boundaries agreed upon earlier.

“It happened from the first moment,” he says. “Some button was switched and he communicated like an animal, not like a human. More than five times, he tried to forcibly flip me over, to insert fingers, to touch and to reach that area in every way possible.”

He says he clearly stated his dissatisfaction but Uchovsky did not stop.

Another man says that several years ago, during a work meeting with Uchovsky, the latter suddenly “leaped at me and started kissing me.”

“I tried to shove him away. He forced himself on me despite my objection, until he climaxed,” he says.

Uchovsky says he did not know about the first man’s dissatisfaction and apologizes “out of understanding and sensitivity.” He says he did not receive sufficient details to comment on the second testimony, but “once that’s the feeling, he also apologizes to the second complainant.”

“As someone who has dedicated his life to the [LGBT] community, Gal has decided that his responsibility compels him to stop his service as president of IGY,” says a comment on Uchovsky’s behalf. “The organization is his life’s work, and he doesn’t want this great organization to be stained.”