Israel – Study Shines Light On Domestic Violence Within Charedi Sector

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    FILE PHOTO EPA/MICHAL FATTAL-FLASH90Israel – Domestic violence is a national epidemic that does not differentiate between sectors of the population, and yet, until recently no study has been conducted to examine the frequency of the phenomenon within the haredi sector.

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    Dr. Mally Schori-Biton, a criminologist and couples’ therapist from Ariel University Center conducted a pioneer research that aimed to distinguish the phenomenon’s unique characteristics within the religious and haredi sectors, while addressing a subject that was considered taboo for many years – violence against women.

    The research will be presented during a conference in Bar Ilan University on June 20, which will host the top therapists in the haredi sector.

    According to Dr. Schori-Biton, the phenomenon of violence against religious and haredi women has its own unique characteristics. “Because of the observance of modest dressing, there are more places where (the women) can be beaten without it being noticed, because the man is also concerned about what people will say.

    “But there are also characteristics that have to do with the religious aspect,” Dr. Schori-Biton noted, “Such as husbands that forced their women to wash their hands dozens of times in an obsessive manner, or humiliate them by mocking their level of religiosity.

    “Sometimes physical violence is ‘preferable’ to humiliation or severe emotional abuse, which does not leave a physical mark or proof, and can lead to unbearable suffering,” she said.

    “This is true to the extent that some of the respondents said they preferred the beating to the verbal and emotional abuse.”


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    31 Comments
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    Yipyap
    Yipyap
    11 years ago

    Whats there to shine light on? it doesnt happen. We treat our women with respect

    11 years ago

    More liberal anti religious incitement. Sickening.

    PMOinFL
    PMOinFL
    11 years ago

    “Sometimes physical violence is ‘preferable’ to humiliation or severe emotional abuse, which does not leave a physical mark or proof, and can lead to unbearable suffering,”

    That sentence alone makes my heart cry. The very idea that ANYONE has ever had to say something like that, or rationalize something like that in their head is an unbearable. I can’t even imagine being in a position to have to think like that.

    However, stories that single out “the chareidi sector” (whatever that means these days) are dangerous and unfair. Domestic violence exists in EVERY community and should never be tolerated regardless of whether the abuser is a Palestinian janitor or a popular local Rebbe. A man who physically or emotionally abuses his wife (or a woman who does the same to her husband) is an animal and should be treated as such by the community and law enforcement.

    shredready
    shredready
    11 years ago

    to number 1 and 2

    yes the secular media makes this all up

    just like they made up that there is abuse of children and that the victims are being harnessed and we all know that is simply not true

    wake up and smell the coffe

    stormin
    stormin
    11 years ago

    Just like there are no religious pedophiles

    11 years ago

    So I’ll assume that Yip Yap and R (#1 and #2 ) aren’t simply trolls.
    Blanket statements like “all” or “never” when talking about people are usually incorrect. “It doesn’t happen” is simply wrong. Abuse does happen. The question is not “whether or not?” but “how much?” It is certainly not 0% but neither is it 100%.
    Having said that, the question is how best to address what abuse there is.
    That is why it is important to understand the rate and the specific characteristics. So doing a study and presenting it are not in and of themselves “liberal anti-religious incitement.” I don’t know the authors of the study but will give them the benefit of a doubt. Now, if they come out and say “this is a horrible problem due to being Charedi” and “the only treatment is to give up on religion” then I would agree. But if they work with the community to get people treated, ensure that the victims are safe, and end the cycle of violence then we should whole-heartedly support this.

    MistahKurtz
    MistahKurtz
    11 years ago

    7 paragraphs to say nothing. What is point of this article?

    fedorah
    fedorah
    11 years ago

    A community that denies the existence of such abuse guarantees that such abuse exists.

    Kosher_Ham
    Kosher_Ham
    11 years ago

    Numbers 1 & 2: Are you for real?? And there are no Frum pedophiles, too??
    Why did Rabbi Dr. Twerski author the following book?

    Twerski, Abraham
    The Shame Born in Slience: Spouse Abuse in the Jewish Community. Twerski, Abraham. Mirkov, 1996.

    Have you checked out the http://www.jofa.org web site, either?

    A simple search using the terms: “Orthodox Jewish Spouse Abuse Study” would’ve provided you with information to make you appear more intelligent than your posts belie.

    Please take your heads out of the sand. I mean, why is there such a category called “Agunah” for??

    FredE
    FredE
    11 years ago

    In Chicago we have a saying. De-nile is not just a river in Egypt….

    11 years ago

    What the sephardi / ashkenazi ratios?

    11 years ago

    As every single other societal problem, the frum community has it, too. There are probably no studies that track the incidence that could allow for reliable comparison to any other cultural, national, or ethnic group. From the beginning of this article, it stated clearly that this was a study that intended to identify the aspects of the problem that were unique to the chareidi population, not the frequency of it. I would look forward to reading a more detailed report of the findings. Meanwhile, rest assured that problem exists, and it needs to be addressed in many ways. Women need to learn how to identify the early warning signs that their relationship is heading downhill. They need to learn about the resources. Rabbonim need to learn the signs also, and they need to intervene at their level. There are dysfuctional marriages that are NOT abusive. Training is needed to tell the difference. Lastly, not all abuse is husband to wife. Much is wife to husband. Check out the research and the true facts.

    Shlomo44
    Shlomo44
    11 years ago

    Research shows that domestic violence is a two way street, with some studies showing that women are perpetrators slightly more than men.

    11 years ago

    To all those deniers out there:
    If a researcher twists, alters, makes up, or uses other means to falsify data, his or her entire career has just been flushed down the drain. They will never get a job in a research lab or a university. Publishers will refuse to publish their work. Journals will turn their articles down.
    There is no benefit to making it all up- just look at a cost-benefit ratio. There must be some statistics out there, even if it is just a pilot study (and it will say that).

    wollenberg
    wollenberg
    11 years ago

    #19 you show your ignorance. Google “mandated reporters”. Reporting a case of abuse is not a breach of privacy actually it’s a legal requirement. Catholics believe in clergy-penitent confidential, Jews DO NOT. If someone tells his rov he’s about to kill someone the rov has to report it to protect life. These women are in DANGER. Read the statistics how many women end up being murdered or mutilated by their partners which started with a slap etc. Anyone who enables this is over on al taamod al dam reiecha. Why is it everyone will go to court when they lose money as Beis Din has no teeth but when it comes to this suddenly they go nuts over reporting? I am a rov and am machshir of a mikveh by the way and B”H miveh ladies ARE trained to spot abuse and no they don’t automatically run to the police but they certainly try to help the person.

    marcia
    marcia
    11 years ago

    I am not here as a TROLL! My father was an orthodox Jew with an “extremely bad temper”. There is no excuse for excessive physical and emotional abuse…a potch on the diaper of toddler walking toward the gutter is probably the most one should ever do in my opinion. My sister and I had our heads slammed into walls for not comprehending our lessons right away…this is a vicious cycle of learned abuse in many occasions and needs to stop. It occurs in ALL cultures, some more than others but cannot be stopped until the cycle ends!