Indian women's experiences of domestic violence in the context of migration to Aotearoa New Zealand: The role of women's in-laws

Abstract

Indian migrant women may experience violence and abuse not only from their partner but also from members of his family, including the mother-in-law. Such violence and abuse need to be understood within a cultural context in which arranged marriage and the provision of dowry are still normative. These arrangements give in-laws considerable leverage over married women and their natal family. We show how these dynamics can play out in the context of migration making women vulnerable to exploitation, close surveillance, control, isolation and abuse. It is important that service providers in the host country become educated about such dynamics.