Study Reveals Desi American Women Abused by In-Laws
By Francis C. Assisi

URL of this page: www.indolink.com


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A new study, led by Dr Anita Raj of Boston University, reveals that
Indian-American women who are victims of marital violence are also being
abused by their in-laws.

This time, instead of simply focusing on partner abuse, Raj examines the
link between abuse by the women's husband and abuse by their in-laws.
Specifically, the research shows that in-laws themselves may be abusive
to their daughter-in-law, emotionally and physically. Also, they often
provide a supportive context for wife abuse by ignoring it when it
occurs or even actively encouraging it.

Details of the study, entitled 'Victims of Intimate Partner Violence
More Likely to Report Abuse From In-Laws,' were published in the October
2006 issue of the journal 'Violence Against Women.'

Raj and her colleagues argue that to effectively address IPV with South
Asian women, advocates and practitioners must simultaneously explore the
problem of abuse from in-laws.

Anita Raj's earlier study on South Asian women in Greater Boston in 2002
found that 40.8% of the women had been either physically or sexually
abused by their male partners and 65% of these women who were physically
abused were also sexually abused.

DETAILS OF ABUSE

According to the authors of the study, emotional abuse means being sworn
at, called stupid or crazy, prevented from seeing friends and relatives,
isolation, economic control, verbal abuse and degradation, complaints of
dowry, domestic servitude, and control of intake or access to food.

"I was trapped in my husband's family's home without the ability to
communicate freely" one victim informed.

Degrading forms of verbal abuse was a commonly used weapon. As a victim
reported: "My mother in law ...stayed with me for four months here. She
always used to scold me that her son was not happy with me. (She would
say) 'You do not have a good character...it is our fate that we got
married to such a worst girl in our life.'"

Another victim recalled: "She'd call me names. She'd call me names like
prostitute. She'd threaten me...(that she would) get her son to divorce
me."

Another woman revealed: "(My mother in law and father in law would say),
'you are good for nothing you sit and you eat and you have no shame. And
you don't realize how much money and how many dollars you have wasted by
not earning and just sitting at home and eating food.'"

Criticizing the victim's family and complaints about dowry became
another form of abuse. For example a women stated, "My mother in law"
used to say to me,"your mom was not at all a nice person...and we are
the ones who are suffering. And we did not get a proper dowry."

One of the most common forms of abuse perpetrated by in-laws was forced
servitude, in other words the woman was being treated as domestic
servant for the household.

As one woman informed: "I had to wake up at 4 o' clock. I had to scrub
the dishes, make chappathis, cook for the whole big family...Each time I
made a mistake, (my mother in law) used to hit me. She never used to
give me to eat or drink. I was starving."

Another victim reported: "My mother in law wants me to massage her legs
every night before I sleep when I was 9 months pregnant" said one
victim. Another reported: "My mother in law told me that she did not get
enough (from my family) and that people were laughing at her."

The study also reveals that mother in laws were aware of and tolerated
the physical abuse perpetrated by their son. And in some cases the
mother-in-law herself committed physical abuse.

Here are some examples in the victim's own words.

"He used to hit me a lot. If his mother said there was too little salt
in the food, he would hit me...when he used to come back from work...his
mother would complain (about me). Almost all the time he would hit me
because of his mother."

"When his mom was there for the four months, he like used to make me
touch her feet and apologize to her saying that like I was a bad girl
who had entered into their life and I uh, had to pay as slave and dog."

"My mother in law used to hold my hair and bang my head on the wall.
Sometimes she used to beat me."

"So that time when I came from the hospital (after being abused by her
husband) also, she really hit me. She said, 'you are my daughter in law.
We got you married to my son and you have to listen to everything he
says. For his happiness you have to agree for everything he wants you to
do.'"

Raj concludes: Findings from this study for the first time demonstrate
the interrelationship between abuse by in-laws and marital violence
among South Asian women. "These findings have critical implications for
current intimate partner violence prevention and intervention efforts
with South Asian women."

Furthermore Dr Raj adds: "South Asian community advocates, domestic
violence advocates, and legal, health and social service providers
should recognize that abuse by in laws is not likely a result of South
Asian cultural practices, such as joint family system and arranged
marriage, but is rather supported through traditional, patriarchal
ideologies that promote female submission and servitude to the husband
and his family."

The authors remind us that abuse by in-laws has been documented in
White, African American, Hispanic, Arab and other Asian American
communities as well.

Anita Raj is an associate professor at Boston University school of
Public Health. Her research focuses on sexual risk, violence against
women, and immigrant and racial minority health. She is the principal
researcher in the current study. Her previous published studies include
Desi experiences of spousal abuse, their vulnerabilities, and their
increased health risk as a consequence of this victimization. She is
also a member and advisor to Saheli, a community based organization that
serves South Asian women in crisis.

The other Indian-American involved in the study is Jhumka Gupta, a
doctoral student at Harvard University School of Public Health. Her
research interest is primarily in the area of violence against women.
Her previous work includes assessment of violence against women and
other health issues in the South Asian community including assessment of
the prevalence of dating violence among Desi American college students.

Other co-authors of the study are Ka? Livramento, Maria Christina
Santana, and Jay Silverman. The authors are associated with the Schools
of Public Health at Boston University and Harvard University.

[email protected]