“This Creates Unbearable Inner Conflict,Both with God and With Oneself”: Implications of Sexual Abuse Among Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Male Survivors

Abstract

Limited research has been conducted on the ramifications of sexual abuse among religious minorities in general, particularly concerning sexual abuse of boys. The current study seeks to address this gap by answering the question: what are the distinctive implications of sexual abuse on males from the Jewish ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, as reflected in their reports? Through a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 33 Jewish Israeli ultra-Orthodox male survivors of sexual abuse, the findings reveal several unique ramifications that the survivors relate to the abuse. These ramifications can be arranged along three main axes: the Personal-Religious Identity Axis, the Social-Community Axis, and the Institutional-Faith Axis. Each axis represents a different dimension of conflict experienced by participants, showing how, according to their reports, the sexual abuse impacted their religious identity, social relationships, and institutional trust. Based on the findings, the study proposes the Religious–Cultural Conflict Model (RCCM) to illuminate the distinctive ramifications of sexual abuse. The RCCM facilitates the understanding of the way in which religious and cultural factors shape the experiences of abuse survivors and reflects the significance of both gender sensitivity and religious–cultural contexts in understanding the ramifications of sexual abuse. Research limitations and applied aspects are discussed as well.