“Walking Between the Raindrops”: Intimate Partner Violence in the Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel From Social Workers’ Perspective

Intimate partner violence (IPV) in faith-based communities has unique characteristics that social workers should consider. This qualitative study examines how social workers describe their encounter with abused Jewish ultra-Orthodox women. In-depth interviews were conducted among 24 social workers (one man, 23 women: four were ultra-Orthodox, 19 were modern Orthodox, and one was secular); all respondents worked in the public sector, welfare offices, and non-profit organizations in ultra-Orthodox communities. Three major themes emerged: (a) “There is no guardian against unchastity”: Is there no safe haven when it comes to domestic violence?; (b) “I’m not religious enough, not disciplined enough”: describing the experience of violence in the therapeutic encounter; and (c) “walking between the raindrops”: culturally sensitive social work in the context of IPV. Findings and implications are discussed in the context of cultural sensitivity.