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�A famous 16th century Indian philosopher once quoted, �A drum, a peasant, a Sudra (labourer), an animal, a woman- all of these are fit to be beaten� (Miller, 1992, p. 173). This quote is a great example of the status of women and how well domestic violence is accepted in the Indian society. �The origin of violence for South Asian women are rooted deep into centuries of submissive, passiveness, and denial� (Naresh, 1996). In the Asian community, from the beginning of time, women have always been looked down upon as being inferior to men and the society has always been patriarchal, in which only men held positions of authority. To this day, some of these women still are excluded from public life and are left to be in charge of home and children. Many cultural laws have given men the right to treat women as property similar to domestic animals (Sahni, 2000).
In Indian customs, women are taught early on to be obedient wives and good mothers and are forbidden to interact with anyone outside the home. Many South Asian people believe that for a devout wife, a husband is God-like figure and a woman is required and be willing to do anything to please him.
References:
Miller, B. D. (1992). Wife-beating in India: variations on the theme. Sanctions and sanctuary: Cultural perspective on the beating of wives, Colorado: Westview Press, chapter13, p. 173 to 183.
Naresh, H. (1996). Domestic Violence. Retrieved March. 3, 2003 from
http://www.crescentlife.com/articles/domestic_violence.htm
Sahni, T. (2000). Women in India. Retrieved March 5, 2003 from
http://www.indianest.com/women/women.htm
 This web site is designed by Harveer Sihota and Beant Grewal, April 2003
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