Surviving intimate partner violence in a segregated community: the case of ultra-Orthodox Jewish women

By: Tuito I., Band-Winterstein T.
Published in: Mental Health, Religion and Culture
SDGs : SDG 16  |  Units:   | Time: 2021 |  Link
Description: As a “faith-based community”, the ultra-Orthodox society is a differentiated minority group, which has recently recognis ed intimate partner violence as a social problem. The members of this conservative, patriarchal society keep themselves in a secluded sphere, apart from the modern, secular Western society. The aim of this paper is to explore the experience of ultra-Orthodox women coping with intimate partner violence. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 ultra-Orthodox women coping with intimate partner violence in Israel, 27–49 years of age, all clients of the social services. Thematic analysis revealed three themes: The experience of not being able to build a “faithful Jewish home”; strengthening one’s faith as a means to survival; and the meaning of “tikun” and choice. The impact of these findings is examined in the context of culture-sensitive interventions. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.