Antecedents, Characteristics, and Dynamics of IPV in the Israeli Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Community: A Cultural Exploration

Purpose: This qualitative study explored Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the Israeli Jewish Ultra-Orthodox (JUO) community to better understand the cultural and religious risk factors and features underlying IPV in this under-researched sector. Method: Semi-structured interviews implementing the Clinical Ethnographic Narrative Interviews approach were conducted with 15 JUO women currently living with or separated/divorced from their abusive partners who were victims of IPV. The interviews were analyzed using the Interpretive Phenomenological approach. Results: Two key themes emerged from the analysis. The first theme involves the normalization and exacerbation of violence due to specific religious and societal norms that perpetuate silence and stigma. Factors such as early marriage, religious beliefs about the sanctity of marriage, disadvantaged childhood experiences, and distorted religious justifications contributed to the victims’ vulnerability and hindered their ability to seek help. The second theme is related to the specific features of the abuse. It covers a range of tactics employed by husbands, including financial oppression, social isolation, physical violence, and manipulation during pregnancy, all based on and justified by distorted religious concepts. Conclusions: Though aspects of intergenerational abuse and control tactics to aggravate violence are common universal strategies in IPV, the findings here underscore the interplay between religious practices and societal expectations within the JUO community that contribute to the perpetration and perpetuation of IPV. These findings contribute to a better understanding of IPV in religious and traditional contexts and highlight the importance of tailoring interventions to address the needs of specific collectivistic and religious-based societies.