Domestic violence against women is a long-standing issue worldwide, but in some regions, the situation is inferior to others. South Asia is an area where more than 70% of females from the age of 15 have less security against sexual and financial violence (The Asia Foundation). This can have different forms, but domestic abusers are from the circle of family, close friends, or romantic partners (Deshmukh). Usually, assaulters have more power over the victim, whether physically, psychologically, or financially. Although many countries of the region have regulations and laws against domestic crimes, unmarried couples and cohabitants are not considered (The Asia Foundation). South Asian women also experience many occasions of domestic violence due to the lack of protection from the government, economic boundaries, and unawareness of where to seek help (The World Bank). Therefore, this research essay aims to analyze the concept of domestic violence against South Asian women, its premises, and its impact on modern women’s lives.
Domestic violence against South Asian women had roots in the patriarchal society and historical customs when males were the dominant figures in the community. They always took the leading position in the family, politics, or a job and claimed all the power and control of the situation and resources. South Asian women became no exception and were considered humans of lower importance who should obey male figures such as fathers, husbands, or an employer. By choosing violence against women, men strive to maintain control and reinforce the power structure in the family.
Domestic violence can have many different forms, not only physical. Men can mentally and verbally abuse women, monitor their activities in real life and social media, limit their communications with friends and family to not have support and become dependent on them (Tonsing and Tonsing 162). There are also variants of violence that males can use against women in the internet space. They may cyberstalk them, expose personal information, monitor women’s online profiles and posts to maintain control, and not allow them to leave (Sambasivan et al. 2). Thus, domestic violence can have a verbal form along with physical abuse.
Sexual assault is also a widespread form of violence that happens towards females not, even from strangers or criminals, but from their cohabitants. Society has a stereotype that if two people are in romantic relationships, then the intimate connection is always welcomed by default from both sides. However, it is not necessarily mutual, and there are situations when someone from the pair does not want to be engaged in sexual activities. Therefore, men also perform this kind of abuse towards women to demonstrate their dominance and power, giving them the feeling of helplessness and humiliation.
All those incidents, especially when they happen systematically, hurt the women and create a demand for more social support and projects helping with the issue. Experiencing violence from a partner is always an extremely traumatic and damaging experience to both mental and physical health. Females who are pregnant or already have children may practice a low ability to perform maternal duties or feel positive emotions during parenting (Koirala and Montakarn 22). Although maternal health is one of the crucial social topics and issues in society, it still gets little recognition. There is a lack of special psychological support and assistance for mothers who live the abusive partners while having children or being pregnant (Koirala and Montakarn 23). As the vulnerable social group is exposed to aggression and offense from their male cohabitants, they should receive more help and resources from the government to cope with the consequences.
Religion is also an additional component of systematic domestic violence, specifically from intimate partners. Most of the massive religious beliefs are interpreted so that a female figure is perceived as obedient and submissive whose purpose is to serve her husband and family (Deshmukh). South Asian women are taught certain childhood gender and social stereotypes that impose a specific behavioral model that meets the characteristics of the patriarchal structure. Therefore, when they are adults, it may be tough for them to recognize the unacceptability of violent behavior and have enough independence and autonomy to end destructive relationships. Additionally, during the pandemic and lockdown, women lost the ability to escape from their abusers and leave their houses to seek help and accommodation (DNA India). Spending significantly more time than usual with the partners commonly contributes to increased aggression if it already existed in the relationship.
Overall, women in South Asia suffer from domestic violence regularly, and most of the time, the abuse comes from their intimate partners. The patriarchal concepts and religious confessions maintain the stereotypes that men should dominate women and control them to fit into traditional roles. Females often cannot easily leave their aggressor, especially if they are pregnant or have children, resulting in financial and emotional dependence, especially during the pandemic. Therefore, the South Asian governments should pay more attention to the issue and provide more sources of help and support for women who face domestic violence.
Works Cited
Deshmukh, Kalyanee. “Causes of Domestic Violence in India.” Aishwarya Sandeep, Web.
“Four things to know about gender-based violence in Asia.” The Asia Foundation, Web.
Koirala, Pallavi, and Montakarn Chuemchit. “Depression and Domestic Violence Experiences Among Asian Women: A Systematic Review.” International journal of women’s health vol. 12, pp. 21-33, 2020.
Sambasivan, Nithya, et al. “They Don’t Leave Us Alone Anywhere We Go”: Gender and Digital Abuse in South Asia”. Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, no 2, 2019, pp. 1-14, Web.
The World Bank. “Gender-Based Violence (Violence against Women and Girls).” World Bank, 2019, Web.
Tonsing, Jenny C., and Kareen N. Tonsing. “Understanding the Role of Patriarchal Ideology in Intimate Partner Violence among South Asian Women in Hong Kong.” International Social Work, vol. 62, no. 1, 2019, pp. 161–171, Web.
“Two out of 5 Women in South Asia Experience Domestic Partner Violence, Says World Bank.” DNA India, 2020, Web.