Modesty, religion, and community: Therapists' perspectives regarding the treatment of child sexual abuse in the ultra-orthodox community.

BACKGROUND: Religion is a significant cultural component that impacts child sexual abuse (CSA) in various ways, including its definition, perception, and treatment. This study focuses on the Jewish ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, a strictly religious, segregated, and close-knit community with unique cultural practices and beliefs that impact children's safety and vulnerability to CSA. OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study aimed to explore therapists' perceptions and ascribed meanings of CSA treatment within the ultra-Orthodox community. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with therapists working with the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel. METHODS: The interviews were analyzed using thematic qualitative analysis. RESULTS: Three central axes pertinent to the treatment of CSA in the ultra-Orthodox community were discovered: 1) religious interventions, 2) modest approach, relating to the community's taboo attitude towards sexuality; and 3) the collectivistic nature of the community. The results include specific effect sizes and their statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: The discussion explores the findings in light of the literature on CSA among religious minority communities and connects them to the unique underlying perception of sexuality in the ultra-Orthodox community. Specific ramifications and recommendations for practice are then considered, alongside the limitations and directions for future study.

School principals coping with child sexual abuse in their schools.

BACKGROUND: Schools serve a central role in prevention, disclosure and intervention in cases of child sexual abuse (CSA). As school principals often face CSA cases in their daily work, they may hold the key to making social change on this front. However, research on principals' experiences of contending with CSA remains limited. OBJECTIVE: The current study is part of a larger qualitative research project examining various Israeli educators' coping with CSA among their students in diverse cultural contexts. In this study, we specifically focused on principals. The research questions were: (1) What are the unique ways in which school principals cope with cases of CSA during their course of daily work? (2) Do their cultural contexts and cultural affiliations shape their coping, and if so, how? METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 principals from multiple cultural groups (secular, religious and ultra-Orthodox Jews, and Arab-Muslims), which were analyzed using a thematic approach. RESULTS: The findings indicated that principals demonstrate three types of coping strategies in response to encounters with CSA in the course of their work: they may act as "navigators" (exclusively responsible); "sharers" (rely on teamwork); or "balancers" (negotiating between cultural and legal demands). Furthermore, two contextual factors affected their construction of coping: ongoing professional experience in cases of CSA and personal experiences, including being a CSA survivor. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of principals in identifying and leading interventions for CSA cases. It also raises the need for training to combine reflective, experience-based practice alongside evidence-informed practice.