Women Under Collective Threat: What We Learned About Women and Trauma During Operation “Lion’s Roar”
At the height of Operation Lion’s Roar, amid an ongoing security threat and daily uncertainty, Eden Association’s Research Unit conducted a unique survey of 301 women from across Israel. The study sought to understand how women, both with and without symptoms of trauma, cope with emotional distress and draw on resilience resources in real time while facing prolonged pressure.
The findings reveal a complex picture. Women coping with trauma, particularly complex trauma, enter a crisis from a more vulnerable starting point. They report higher levels of depression and anxiety, alongside lower resilience and a diminished sense of capability. Women without trauma symptoms, by contrast, are able to draw on social support to reduce distress. Among women with trauma, however, this support has little effect and may even increase anxiety.
Alongside these differences in the impact of social support, the study identified a significant internal resource: faith. Unlike external support, faith emerged as a protective factor for women with trauma as well, helping to reduce anxiety during periods of ongoing threat. This finding highlights the importance of internal resources and a personal sense of meaning in emergency situations.
The study demonstrates that distress and resilience are not opposite ends of the same continuum. Women can experience high levels of distress while simultaneously drawing on sources of resilience. This understanding enables us to refine therapeutic interventions, identify which resources support women in real time, and recognize which do not provide sufficient protection.
The survey is a central component of the work conducted by Eden Association’s Research Unit, which develops current empirical knowledge about women’s experiences of trauma and crisis. These insights enable us to continue developing data-driven, trauma-informed interventions tailored to the complex realities in which women in Israel live and function.