Economic Violence Against Arab-Palestinian Women in Israel: Coping Mechanisms in Social, Cultural and Structural Contexts

While most studies of gender-based violence have focused on its physical/sexual/psychological manifestations, this paper seeks to draw attention to the types of economic abuse experienced by Arab-Palestinian women in Israel. Economic abuse is one aspect of a broader discussion concerning women’s financial rights and is of particular significance in traditional-patriarchal societies. As part of a wider range of gender-economic violence experienced by women from their partner/ex-partner this presentation focuses on 'coerced debt'.

This presentation aims to draw attention to the types of economic violence, particularly coercive debt, experienced by Arab-Palestinian women in Israel - a situation where economic resources are limited and controlled by the abusive spouse. Through semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in 2022 with Arab-Palestinian women in Israel, as well as analysis of several legal cases (n=21), we provide a glimpse at manifestations of economic violence, focusing on the participants’ experiences and definitions, as well as the coping mechanisms they employ. Such abuse needs to be examined against the background of multiple positions of marginality, vulnerability and civic exclusion these women experience, shaped by the patriarchal regimes of both social institutions and their spouses/ex-spouses. The study enhanced our understanding of the transparency of economic violence, particularly coercive debt, highlighting the diverse coping strategies used by the women affected by it, with consequences persisting even after they break the silence or leave their abusive spouses.

The study’s main practical implication is the need to expand State support for Arab-Palestinian women in 'coerced debt' at any stage required of them (housing-arrangement, employment, cancellation of debts, emotional-support). In particular, there is a need to identify which structural barriers strengthen their vulnerability and which services are meaningful and helpful to these women from minority communities.