WIZO Study: Effects of War

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WIZO’s study showed that the intersection of the personal trauma of being abused and the collective trauma of the war has created a situation of overload, resulting in setbacks in the advances women were able to make in rebuilding their lives.

In a new study led by WIZO’s Division for the Advancement of Women’s Status, in cooperation with Dr. Anat Ben-Porat of Bar-Ilan University’s School of Social Work, 25 women from our Safety Net program who left abusive relationships were studied to examine the effects of the Israel-Hamas war on their lives.

The study’s results were published recently in a Jerusalem Post article titled, “War times impact survivors of domestic abuse emotionally and financially – study.”

The study focused on two main questions: 1. What were the women’s experiences after the war broke out in various areas of their lives? And 2. What were their needs in the current situation?

Copy of Domestic Abuse in Wartime study 1

Dr. Anat Ben-Porat Senior Lecturer, School of Social Work Deputy Director, School of Social Work

“The study calls on local communities, service providers, policymakers, and leadership to strengthen the chain of services that is necessary for survivors of domestic abuse.“

Survivors reported being flooded with difficult memories of their past abuse, fear, accumulation of stress, regression, withdrawal, loneliness and physical reactions due to the stress. Survivors also reported experiencing challenges with taking care of their children, managing financially, and accessing services during a time when resources and attention are reallocated to the war effort.

The study calls on local communities, service providers, policymakers, and leadership to strengthen the chain of services that is necessary for survivors of domestic abuse.

To read the entire article:

https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-783441