Structural violence and sources of resistance among Palestinian children living under military occupation and political oppression

Critical consciousness from a Palestinian feminist, decolonial perspective: A collective exploratory inquiry

“…The political climate is above everything, conditioning and affecting the conditions under which the lives of Palestinians are experienced, impacting both daily life and the long-term survival of the collective. Indeed, the occupation shows its power through devastation of economic infrastructure, mass restrictions on employment and on mobility, loss of lands, militarization of daily life, and widespread human rights violations (Veronese et al, 2022). While men suffer specifically from Israeli violence (in terms of imprisonment, deaths, beatings, and humiliation), our interviews elucidated how the occupation creates visible and invisible wounds for women, undermining their lives, freedoms, and rights in several specific respects.…”

“…The devastating impacts of the Israeli occupation on the physical and mental health of the Palestinian population are, to date, well-documented (Tanous, 2022;Veronese et al, 2022). Like other experiences of settler-colonialism, the Israeli colonial regime is a persistent social and political structure (Arvin et al, 2013), and constitutes a daily experience of denial of health and well-being for Palestinians.…”

The link between exposure to violence and psychological distress among middle-aged Muslims in Israel: the role of gender

“…Similarly, neurobiological changes underlying gendered violence-distress patterns have been preliminarily studied in developing children and school-aged youth [assessed by thematic content analysis of individual interviews or modified World Health Organization’s Health Behavior in School-aged Children Survey—HBSC, ( 52 , 53 )]. According to Peverill et al ( 54 ), children who have experienced violence exhibit altered amygdala connectivity, which is linked to heightened responses to fear stimuli and decreased emotional regulation.…”

“…One of Arab Israelis’ biggest public health issues is psychological distress, with a previous study citing 35% of the population reporting symptoms of distress [assessed by GHQ-12, ( 61 )], which is further supported in our research. While reducing violence exposure is a primary goal, early interventions and targeted treatment for distress ( 53 , 62 ) will also help reduce the burden of violence-related distress, ultimately fostering a safer and healthier community ( 63 ). Accordingly, the stigma surrounding seeking support services should also be addressed.…”

“…Likewise, in Israel, as in many other regions, there is also a growing need to educate individuals about the potential harm of repeated exposure to violent incidents in the news and on social media toward reducing vicarious trauma ( 64 ). By promoting media literacy and responsible media consumption (validated sources, limited duration), individuals can gain the tools to critically assess and interpret the information they encounter, thus reducing the psychological burden ( 53 ). This comprehensive approach of early intervention coupled with behavioral changes can contribute to creating a more informed and resilient society in the face of escalating violence ( 65 ).…”