Fourteen Years of Silence- An Exploration of Intimate Partner Violence in the Jewish Community

Domestic Violence is the shame borne in silence by thousands of womenaround the globe. Studies show that American women stay in abusiverelationships an average of seven years while Jewish American women stayfor fourteen years - twice as long! No comprehensive study of Jewish cultureand religion has been done to examine this phenomenon of longer endurancein violent partnerships. This work examines the social cultural spiritual andscriptural aspects of Judaism which may contribute to this dichotomy in howwomen free themselves from abusive marriages. An exploration of theseissues will hopefully lead to more culturally-sensitive supportive services forJewish American victims of spousal battering. This book is addressed to socialservice professionals Rabbis and Jewish community leaders educators andlay members of the Jewish community. It is also directed towards researchersin Sociology Women's Studies Public Health and Religion.