Red Flags for Intimate Partner Violence during the Matchmaking Period in the Haredi Community

This article examines the red flags in a short-supervised acquaintance (shidduch) before marriage, identified in retrospect by Haredi women, who were victims to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). The research included thirteen in-depth interviews conducted with women which focused on the pre-marriage period in order to analyze the unique relationship red flags in the Haredi community. The research findings suggest that even within a short and supervised acquaintance, it is possible to identify red flags for IPV that are known from the literature and can be interpreted in the Haredi context. Alongside, there are additional warning signs that are difficult to identify in relation to Haredi society and its characteristics and therefore constitute both warning signs and barriers that prevent early identification of the problem. Raising awareness of the identification of warning signs within an organized and supervised process, such as matchmaking, will allow for a reduction in entry into violent relationships.