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Jewish Womens Aid

Domestic/Sexual Violence
Every person has the right to feel safe and protected.  Jewish Women's Aid is the specialist organisation in the UK supporting Jewish women and children affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence.  Please get in touch with them if you are affected - no woman should have to face it alone.

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JWA Shabbat
JWA SHABBAT 24 / 25 November 2023 
PRESENTS: EXPLORING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

This year the theme for Jewish Women’s Aid Shabbat is ‘Exploring Healthy Relationships’. The goal is to open conversations across our community about what makes a relationship healthy – or unhealthy. We have created a Shabbat Activity, looking at different characteristics of a relationship and discussing: are they healthy, unhealthy or even abusive?

By thinking about and discussing these scenarios we hope to achieve two things:

  • Encourage a thoughtful and considerate approach to relationships in our community

  • Empower members of the community to recognise when their situation may not be

    unhealthy, but abusive

    The activity is available in shul and online at jwa.org.uk/healthyrelationships and can be done at home with family, with friends or in any setting.

    At the heart of JWA’s Outreach and Prevention Programme is a message about power and control because in a healthy relationship, power and control is shared, but in an abusive relationship, one partner (or former partner) exercises both of these disproportionately. Empathy, trust, respect and kindness are also very important.

    Anyone can experience an unhealthy or abusive relationship but both nationally and globally, women are disproportionately affected by abuse.

  • Almost 30% of women will experience some form of domestic abuse after the age of 16 (Office for National Statistics, 2022)

  • JWA supports over 700 Jewish women and girls across the UK (2022)

  • Most of our clients have experienced coercive & controlling behaviour, emotional and

    economic abuse

 

JWA Shabbat is the annual cross-communal shabbat for raising awareness of domestic abuse. The event is officially supported by a broad range of leading Jewish organisations, who we thank for their support:

Office of the Chief Rabbi, the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council, United Synagogue, Reform Judaism, Masorti Judaism, Liberal Judaism and Sephardi & Portuguese Community.

 

To find out more about please go to the Jewish Women’s Aid website https://www.jwa.org.uk .

Jewish Chronicle Article
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis urges abused women to turn to JWA
09 November 2023
His intervention follows a report in the JC on the sharp decline in referrals to the charity after the terrorist attacks in Israel
Please click here to read the article 
What do we mean by domestic abuse?

It can take many different forms. It can be physical, sexual, emotional, financial or spiritual and the central theme is control. It is mainly perpetrated by men against women but it can happen to anyone.

1 in 4 women will experience domestic abuse and 1 in 5 will experience sexual violence. Jewish Women’s Aid has been supporting women for 30 years and has not seen a lower prevalence in the Jewish community. Their research also shows that Jewish women take longer to come forward – 11.5 years rather than 9 years in the wider community.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on domestic abuse nationally, but also in our Jewish community. Every month since April, JWA has supported higher numbers of women compared to the previous year, and they are seeing an escalation of violence and trauma, not just among women but their children too.

We in the Jewish community need to take collective responsibility for ensuring that women are supported and do not feel alone or ashamed. If we are concerned about someone we must reach out and ask if they are ok. If you are affected by domestic abuse, or you are concerned about someone, please contact Jewish Women’s Aid for advice and support.

For confidential support from Jewish Women’s Aid

Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 801 0500 / clientsupport@jwa.org.uk
Dina Sexual Violence Support Line: 0808 801 0656 / dina@jwa.org.uk

Web Chat Support Service: www.jwa.org.uk

DOMESTIC ABUSE LEAFLET
This short, illustrated leaflet offers basic information about what domestic abuse is, specific barriers in the Jewish community and what we can all do to open up the conversation and effect a culture change.

About JWA

Jewish Women’s Aid is the only specialist organisation in the UK supporting Jewish women affected by domestic violence.

Wherever, whenever, whoever: we’re here to help you.

One woman in four will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime.

It affects all women, regardless of age, education, class, lifestyle or religion; the Jewish community is no different to any other.

 

Jewish Women’s Aid (JWA) was founded to support the thousands of Jewish women who, each year, will face physical, emotional, psychological, sexual or financial abuse from within their own home. JWA is the only organisation in the UK dealing specifically with the needs of abused Jewish women and their children.

 

The lack of awareness of domestic violence in the Jewish community has caused damage. Women may remain silent through shame, embarrassment, a feeling of guilt or fear that they will not be believed. They feel alone, that no-one else has experienced such abuse and that it must be their fault.

 

If you think you might be experiencing, or have experienced, what could be domestic abuse then call us. We know how important it is to be believed, accepted, supported and understood. You are not alone.

 

And if you know someone close to you who you think might be experiencing domestic abuse and you would like guidance about how you might be able to support them, we can help.

 

JWA has two core aims:

  • To provide confidential, accessible, empowering and culturally sensitive advocacy and support for Jewish women and children affected by domestic violence.
  • Through education, training and awareness raising, to ensure that all sectors of the Jewish community recognise and speak out against domestic violence.

 

CONTACT DETAILS

For more information please go to the JWA website: http://jwa.org.uk

Get Help

Helpline: 0808 801 0500

9.30am - 9.30pm - Monday to Thursday

A confidential & non-judgmental listening service.

Outside of these hours calls are recorded, and will be responded to during office hours.

In an emergency, always call 999 or the National DV 24/7 helpline on 0808 2000 247

Contact Us

Head Office: 020 8445 8060

9.00am - 5.00pm - Monday to Thursday

Friday closing hours dependent on Shabbat during winter months

PO Box 65550, London, N3 9EG

The Dina Service

The Dina Service at JWA is a specialist support service for Jewish women and girls aged 16 and over who have experienced sexual violence.

 

We offer a free service to women who have experienced sexual violence including rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment whenever it happened in their lifetime and whoever it was perpetrated by - be it a partner, colleague, acquaintance, family member, stranger or community member or leader.

This service is available to women who are able to travel to North London, or to women from across the UK who would like phone support

The Dina Support Line is Open

Mon:10am - 12pm & 1pm - 3pm

Tues: 1pm - 3pm

Thurs: 10am - 12pm & 1pm - 3pm

For more information please visits the JWA website

Ask Me

People within a survivor's community are often the first to know that domestic abuse is happening. But lack of understanding and confidence can make people afraid to talk about it, and unsure of how to respond when someone speaks out. Survivors have told us they can feel judged, isolated or silenced by the people around them.

We are changing that through the Change That Lasts Ask Me scheme, developed in partnership between Women's Aid Federation of England and Welsh Women's Aid. Jewish Women's Aid is very excited to be invited by Women's Aid to participate in the pioneering Change That Lasts programme.

The project is a simple initiative that equips everyday people with an understanding of domestic abuse and how to respond to survivors. This knowledge will enable people in the Jewish community to play an active role in ending domestic abuse.

Please download our flyer for further information about the programme, or email Lee our trainings manager for more details.

For more information please visit the JWA website

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