Beyond Surviving: A Glimpse Into Jewish-Israeli Women's Recovery Trajectories After Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

Violence Against Women. 2023 Dec 17:10778012231220375. doi: 10.1177/10778012231220375. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

The present study identifies and articulates the recovery trajectories of 12 Jewish-Israeli women who experienced intimate partner violence. An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the Clinical Ethnographic Narrative interviews revealed three central themes. The first theme dealt with the chronology of the violence and its escalation. The second theme described the turning points that facilitated the termination of the violent relationship. The third theme reflects these women's attempts to regain control and fulfil their needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. The findings are discussed through the lens of Jewish-Israeli culture, which is child-oriented and underscores the centrality of motherhood.

Keywords: Israeli culture; domestic violence; gender-based violence; healing; intimate partner violence; recovery.