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Friday August 7, 1998

Abuse requires creative solutions

Responding to domestic violence in the Jewish community can be complicated.

Far from monolithic, the community encompasses a panoply of religious and ethnic experiences. Thus, treating domestic abuse requires a comprehensive understanding of cultural nuances, as stories in this week's Bulletin point out.

While safety is always the paramount concern, the needs of an abused woman from an Orthodox home, for example, may differ from those of a woman in a Renewal home. A woman from a Sephardic home may have been raised with different assumptions about marriage from those of an Ashkenazic woman.

In some religious communities, there may be a strong desire to keep incidents of domestic strife private. Women may be prone to hide their scars, even lie about them.

Emigres here and in Israel deal with other issues, including the added stresses of adjusting to a new country, which can often trigger substance abuse.

In addition, some come from paternalistic cultures in which women have difficulty achieving independence. In many cases, a woman may be viewed as the property of her husband.

Domestic abuse, of course, does not simply target women. Children and, occasionally, men are also affected.

Recognizing that one-size-fits all solutions have failed, Israeli social workers are working in tandem with leaders in ethnic and religious communities to come up with new responses.

Bay Area domestic violence activists, with the experience they've gained over the past decade, are also recognizing that creative approaches are necessary.

Such an understanding is critical not only for those who work with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, but for the community as a whole.

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