South Asia ranks highest globally for intimate partner violence, and South Asian women are also far more likely to underreport domestic violence cases than other communities. These abuse patterns result in honor killings, and are perpetuated by a culture of silence and shame. 40% of South Asian women have reported intimate partner violence in their current relationships. And alongside disempowering legal, cultural, familial structures, Bollywood is also responsible for enabling abuse. From husbands slapping their wives to “keep them in line” to romanticizing assault, stalking, and coercion, Indian cinema have written abusers as heroes in many storylines. Most recently, Sania Khan’s life was minimized to a headline, when she spoke up about the stigma of divorce and was then killed by her ex-husband. How can we protect South Asian women and eradicate domestic violence? It begins with dismantling cultural norms that prioritize what society says about women’s mental and physical well-being.
South Asia ranks highest globally for intimate partner violence, and South Asian women are also far more likely to underreport domestic violence cases than other communities. These abuse patterns result in honor killings, and are perpetuated by a culture of silence and shame. 40% of South Asian women have reported intimate partner violence in their current relationships. And alongside disempowering legal, cultural, familial structures, Bollywood is also responsible for enabling abuse. From husbands slapping their wives to “keep them in line” to romanticizing assault, stalking, and coercion, Indian cinema have written abusers as heroes in many storylines. Most recently, Sania Khan’s life was minimized to a headline, when she spoke up about the stigma of divorce and was then killed by her ex-husband. How can we protect South Asian women and eradicate domestic violence? It begins with dismantling cultural norms that prioritize what society says about women’s mental and physical well-being.