Speaking the Unspeakable: Marital Violence among South Asian Immigrants in the United States [Paperback]

Margaret Abraham (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Domestic violence in immigrant communities has received little attention until now. Speaking the Unspeakable is the first account of South Asian women's experience with domestic violence (defined as physical, sexual, verbal, mental, or economic control perpetrated on a woman by her spouse or extended kin). Abraham explains how immigration status, cultural assumptions, and unfamiliarity with American social, legal, economic, and other institutions-coupled with stereotyping from mainstream society-make these women especially vulnerable to abuse.

Speaking the Unspeakable gives voice to abused South Asian women. Their stories reveal their weaknesses and strengths as they confront domestic violence. By placing these stories within the larger cultural, social, and political context, the author shows the individual strategies of resistance to abusers as well as the pivotal role South Asian organizations play in helping these women escape abusive relationships.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press; 1 edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813527937
• ISBN-13: 978-0813527932
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,801,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important addition to the study of domectic violence, October 30, 2000

By 

Amanda Coleman (Jersey City, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Speaking the Unspeakable: Marital Violence among South Asian Immigrants in the United States (Paperback)

Speaking the Unspeakable explores the issues surrounding family violence in the South Asian community. Factors such as immigration status, accepted gender roles and the maintenance of the model minority are discussed. Furthermore, through the voices of survivors, Abraham challenges the stereotypes of Asian women as passive and submissive. She shows the strategies used by these women to combat family violence on both personal and community levels. The book is certainly helpful to anyone doing research either in the South Asian community or on domestic violence generally. However, it is written so that it is also accessible as a resource for those with no academic training. This is not dry scholarly writing. It is a richly woven story that details the complexities of domestic violence for the South Asian community in the United States.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Much-Needed Voice, December 18, 2000

By 

Sabena Khan (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Speaking the Unspeakable: Marital Violence among South Asian Immigrants in the United States (Paperback)

Margaret successfully draws attention to a topic considered taboo by most South Asians: Marital Violence. This book is a perfect blend of factual information and personal stories. Together, they form an invaluable resource useful to anyone interested in learning about marital violence in a community that brings its own complications to the already-so situation. The narratives help put a human face on this global crisis. The analysis and framework provided by Abraham help contextualize these women's dilemmas. The reader will walk away without the judgemental eyes they may have once seen from. Since not many other sources are willing to tackle this complex subject, this is a must-have and more importantly, a must-read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary insight into an extremely contested discourse, November 3, 2000

By 

Jim Schaefer (Ann Arbor, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Speaking the Unspeakable: Marital Violence among South Asian Immigrants in the United States (Paperback)

Margaret Abraham has poured an enormous effort into sorting out the various dynamics, both above the surface and well below, of the discourse centering on the plight of South Asian women coming to the United States. It is to her credit that her research has such size and substance yet provides compelling reading, with implications for many other areas of scholarship, including feminist theory. Her narrative, rich as it is in detail from the interviews she conducted, has to do with discerning ways that scholars document brutal secrets existing in an extremely contested discourse, not that of assigning some kind of victimhood. This is an important work on a difficult topic. A must read.