The trauma of children's "betrayal" after 10/7: "They lost their sense of protection"

Three years after 10/7, experts identify a new dimension in children's trauma: a deep crisis of trust in those who were supposed to protect them. Prof. Asher Ben-Arieh explains 'betrayal trauma' - children were harmed in the safest place, and their parents could not protect them. The 'Ofek' center reports an increase of about a third in anxiety diagnoses in the second year of the war, and an increase of about a quarter in eating disorders. 69 children were killed and 1,500 were hospitalized.

Three years after the October 7 massacre, experts identify a new and troubling dimension in the trauma of children and adolescents: a deep crisis of trust in who and what was supposed to protect them. Prof. Asher Ben-Arieh, a researcher in the field of child welfare and chairman of the 'Ofek' center at the Hebrew University, explains that a 'different kind of trauma' has emerged, characterized by a 'dimension of betrayal.' Children were harmed precisely in their homes, the safest place, while their parents were unable to protect them. According to him, the consequences are similar to those of ongoing trauma - violence, difficulty in studies, depression, and anxiety. Noa Petrushka Afek, director of 'Ofek,' adds that children suffer from a crisis of trust manifested in vandalism, violence, and even protection rackets. The center reports difficult data: 69 children were killed, over 1,500 were hospitalized, an increase of about a third in anxiety diagnoses in the second year of the war, and an increase of about a quarter in eating disorders. About 275,000 children grew up with a parent in reserve duty for long months. Psychologist Yona Burshtein notes that the war created a new trauma of loss of trust and undermining the sense of protection. The Ministry of Education says they are accompanying students and expanding psychological support.