Treatment and Prevention of Domestic Violence
It is estimated that there are 200,000 abused women and 600,000 children who are exposed to domestic violence in Israel.
Domestic violence increases in times of stress and trauma as highlighted during the Covid-19 epidemic and in the months of the current war.
Domestic violence often destroys families. However, it doesn’t have to. When there is a possibility that the family can be helped and the abuser rehabilitated, WIZO steps in. This not only saves the family, but prevents the abuse from continuing to the next generation.
Children who witness domestic violence cannot process what they have seen and may suffer emotional trauma, and be at risk of developing PTSD. WIZO’s Invisible Children programme seeks to ensure that no child in need is ever overlooked and receives life-changing early interventions.
WIZO’s Violent Men’s hotline is the only helpline of its kind in Israel to assist violent men in taking responsibility and getting the help they need. WIZO believes strongly that it is possible to reduce domestic violence considerably by treating the perpetrator himself rather than simply focusing on removing the wife and children from the home. A man who is violent and incapable of handling his emotions and frustrations most often lashes out at those closest to him. This impacts on the whole family. The children develop emotional issues, often suffering in school and socially. The family unit is damaged. Without treatment, the violence continues and can even reoccur generationally. Many violent men do not want to be abusive but lack the tools they need to deal with their anger in non-violent ways. The advice hotline, staffed by trained volunteers, provides initial support and encouragement and guides the men towards the next step. The anonymous nature of the hotline allows for men to call without the fear of stigma.
Recently, the hotline has expanded its support to respond to the challenges faced in the aftermath of October 7 and the war and reintegration of men into society as parents, partners and professionals.
WIZO’s Centres for the Treatment and Prevention of Violence are dedicated to stopping acts of abuse and to helping violent members of the family deal with difficulties in a non-threatening way. The individual and group programmes are run at the centre, eliminating violence whilst maintaining the family unit. Staffing includes professional social workers who specialise in anger management and the treatment of domestic violence as well as dedicated volunteers. The centres specialise in the effects of abuse on children and offer both group and individual counselling for children.
Invisible Children – children who witness domestic violence cannot process what they have seen. They may suffer emotional trauma, and be at risk of developing PTSD and/or emulating the actions of their parents, reasoning that it is acceptable to be violent against their mothers or other women in general. They may arrive at day care or school tired, or become unusually quiet. They may have mood swings, unusual behavior patterns, difficult interpersonal skills, or display violent behavior during play.
To address this pressing national problem, WIZO launched its “Behind Closed Doors: The Invisible Children” programme in 2017. The programme equips professionals in the field of child development, caregivers, and educators with the necessary know-how and tools to identify and reach these children as early as possible. No child in need should ever be overlooked and should receives life-changing early interventions.
Since 2017, WIZO has conducted over 350 trainings for 16,000 professionals across Israel; held annual conferences to raise awareness of the topic; and funded multi-media campaigns.
In recent years, WIZO has focused on strengthening ties with large employers in Israel such as Microsoft, Amdocs, banks, etc. who have expressed a desire and responsibility for preventing domestic violence by educating their employees. WIZO has crafted and led workshops tailored to the workplace, enabling us to reach a wider circle in Israeli society to both help victims and raise awareness among adults.
“The house is so much calmer. We all work together to talk through the issues instead of screaming and yelling. It is a group effort but it works.”
WIZO’s Invisible Children programme is a nationwide programme training more of Israel’s child psychologists, early childhood caregivers, teachers, school counsellors, and social workers to look for and identify the signs indicating whether a child is witnessing domestic abuse. This programme allows incidents of children exposed to domestic violence to be identified. WIZO cares for the ‘invisible children’ to ensure that they and their parents receive appropriate and adequate treatment to secure their emotional and physical wellbeing.
The ‘It Bothers Me‘ programme operates in high schools and local WIZO centres. The aim is to increase awareness amongst teenagers of the warning signs of harassment and sexual abuse, teaching young people to listen to their intuition and giving them a greater sense of safety. They are also taught the techniques of Krav Maga (self-defence), providing greater security and confidence.
The ‘Mine and Only Mine’ programme teaches young men and women how to identify and cope with negative influences and aggressive behaviour during the dating phase of a romantic relationship. WIZO centres and programmes have saved hundreds of families from continued violence.