"the torturing of the soul"

"Fighting violence against women, in Yiddish"

Under the title, "Stop hitting women and hitting in general," medical sources appeal to women arriving at the emergency room following recent acts of domestic or community violence, urging them not to remain silent and to try to uproot "the torturing of the soul."

More: Fighting violence against women, in Yiddish - Israel Jewish Scene, Ynetnews

Is "the torturing of the soul" a metaphor for domestic violence? They just mentioned women in the title, does that mean violence against women in general not just domestic violence?

It's domestic violence in general, which could be violence against either sex, but particularly women IMO.

You must be right, given the context, but I've never met "the torturing of the soul" with that sense - it's usually about mental cruelty - come to think of it, maybe it's referring to just that.

b

It's an odd usage, but in the context it struck me as being physical violence, which may be mentally cruel.