Trapping yet trapped: the ‘I-society’ discourse

Abstract

Despite the abundant literature concerning domestic violence against women, very little is known about battered Arab women in Israel. Using intersectionality as the overarching conceptual lens, this study drew from in depth-interviews with 36 battered Arab women and adopted a narrative approach to reveal how battered Arab women in Israel are trapped in abusive relationships within a conflicted society. Drawing from discourse analysis, the findings revealed that participants used the same words to describe themselves and to describe Arab society. This use of metaphorical language revealed the additional meaning of societal patriarchy. It illustrated Arab society’s way of dealing with its entrapment through projecting its difficulties onto Arab women who served as the society’s scapegoats, causing many to suffer not only from multiplied oppressions, but also to face life threatening situations.Key messagesThis article explores how the historical loss of land and the resulting contemporary circumstances for Palestinians in Israel who are known by the term ‘Israeli Arabs’ have affected men’s attitudes towards what they believe is left of their honour, which is now primarily symbolised by feminine chastity.Understanding the contradiction of perceiving Arab society as oppressive towards women, yet at the same time being oppressed, is achieved through exploring psychoanalytical lenses such as projection, identification and split mechanisms.Arab society’s mechanism to cope with its entrapment and traumas is mainly conducted through splitting and projecting its difficulties and losses onto a weaker target – the woman.