Mikveh, rabbi and sexual violence: the unknown side of family purity rules

A University of Haifa study found that family purity laws (taharat hamishpacha) can cause psychological difficulties for women who have experienced sexual violence. In a survey of 88 women, average age 36, about 64% reported traumatic triggers related to purity checks, immersion in the mikveh, and the presence of an attendant. Many performed rituals in a state of dissociation. Researchers note that the presence of a balanit is not a Halachic requirement, and there is a Supreme Court ruling allowing immersion without supervision.

A University of Haifa study, conducted by sex therapist Shulamit Sperber and Professor Ateret Gevirtz-Meydan, revealed a hidden side of observing family purity laws (taharat hamishpacha) for women who have experienced sexual violence. The survey involved 88 women, with an average age of 36. About 64% of respondents reported traumatic triggers related to practices: purity checks, immersion in the mikveh in the presence of an attendant (balanit), and the need to undress completely. Many women performed these rituals in a state of dissociation, which makes it difficult to be aware of their own needs. The researchers also found the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms related to the laws, due to the large number of details. Sperber emphasizes that the presence of a balanit is not a Halachic requirement, and there is a Supreme Court ruling allowing women to immerse themselves independently. The article explains that family purity laws include not only Torah commandments but also numerous rabbinic enactments, such as the strict rule of Rabbi Zeira regarding vaginal checks over seven days. The study raises the question of the need to consider women's psychological state when observing these precepts.