Social Construction of Wife Abuse: Experiences of Asian Indian Women in the United States

• NCJ Number: 177880
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 5 Issue: 6 Dated: June 1999 Pages: 619-640
• Author(s): Meeta Mehrotra
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 22 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Based on interviews of 30 Asian Indian immigrants in the United States, this study examined their experiences of domestic violence, the extent and nature of wife abuse in the community, and the beliefs as well as perceptions of battering held by the Asian Indian community; women's responses to the abuse were identified as well.

Abstract

The subjects were clients of support groups for Asian Indian women who had perceived their marital situation as abusive and had sought help. The sample constituted a small cross-section of married Asian Indian women living in a city in the eastern United States. During the interview, all participants were asked open- ended questions about their understanding of wife abuse, their concept of the ideal marital relationship, and their marital and immigration experiences. Ninety percent of the study participants identified abuse as not only physical, but also mental, verbal, emotional, and economic. Isolation and neglect were common tactics used by husbands to inflict emotional abuse. They perceived the intent of the abuse to be compliance to the husband's will. This study also examined the various acts of resistance that abused Asian Indian women adopted. Most resistance was indirect but nevertheless expressive of the woman's refusal to be dominated. Resistance tactics included refusal to comply with all cooking expectations, infrequent and passive sexual relations, the taking of small sums of money from the husband's wallet, appealing to family members the husband respects, calling the police, and obtaining restraining orders. The abusive experiences and resistance strategies of Asian Indian women highlight the importance of including diverse women's experience in an understanding of domestic violence. Empowerment of abused women and of all women across demographic lines should be the overall strategy for countering marital abuse. 7 notes and 37 references