Womens' Mental Health and War Catastrophes in Palestine

Our chapter explored mental health issues among Palestinian women living in a society characterized by high levels of war catastrophes, prolonged conflict, and collective trauma. In this context, Palestinian women face several stressors and challenges may threaten their mental health, well-being, and agency. Experiences of gender-based violence (GBV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) among Palestinian women are considered the most harmful threats to mental health; several studies revealed that GBV and IBV associated with political situation in Palestine, as men who practice GBV and IPV were directly or indirectly experienced occupation-related violence, or having experienced the negative economic impacts of occupation. Palestinian women use several coping strategies to deal with war catastrophes, GBV, IPV, and prolonged trauma, the core coping domains include: support seeking, positive cognitive restructuring, problem-solving, distraction, and escape avoidance. Our chapter highlights the need to develop mental health interventions that target Palestinian women victims of war catastrophes, IBV and GBV to strengthening and empowering them and increase their resilience. Future research should be addressed to understand better the features of protective factors that can help maintain psychological functioning among Palestinian women in conditions of war catastrophes and ongoing trauma.