This weekend marks Jewish Women’s Aid Shabbat, a fully cross-communal event supported by the Office of the Chief Rabbi, United Synagogue, Reform Judaism, Liberal Judaism, Masorti Judaism, S&P Sephardi Community, Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies.
According to Jewish Women’s Aid’s website:
“The goal is to focus our community on the issue of domestic abuse and sexual violence, and generate important conversations that lead to a culture change.”
Sadly, no community is immune from domestic abuse. As we reach nearly two years of the pandemic, the lockdowns caused a spike in cases of domestic abuse as people were trapped in with their abusers. In this last year alone, it was estimated that 1.6 million women were victims of domestic abuse. When we speak of domestic abuse, it is not just physical violence that is being spoken of. Since 2015, coercive control was recognised in law. Coercive control is a continuing “act or pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.” (cps.gov.uk)
Jewish Women’s Aid has wonderful resources to help educate our communities and support those going through physical abuse or coercive control. So often in tight-knit communities, rather than being held and protected, people can feel constrained and may feel reluctant to share the truths of their relationships, if they fear it will damage the name of a loved congregant. No one should have to suffer at the hand of another. If you are concerned about yourself, a friend or a loved one, please know that Jewish Women’s Aid is there for you.
Rabbi Anna Posner
