Finding our voices: Bangladeshi women’s experiences of domestic violence and abuse

Abstract

This thesis investigated and explored the challenges in accessing Bangladeshi women to talk about their experiences of domestic violence. The aim of the thesis had been to consider. a) Whether and how the voices of Bangladeshi women are heard within the context of domestic violence and abuse and whether women see themselves as victims of abuse. b) The challenges of hearing Bangladeshi children’s voices and whether mothers see their children as victims of abuse in the home. c) Factors that help or hinder Bangladeshi women and their children sharing their experiences of domestic violence and abuse.

My research explored the impact and challenges of the societal, cultural, and community perceptions and the diversity of women’s experiences, through the lens of intersectionality and the positionality of the women.

I heard directly from eight women about their lived experiences of different forms of abuse. This took place through face-to-face and online semi-structured interviews conducted in English and Bangla, using a framework to collect data through interviews, video, audio recordings and note taking processes. Accessing women for interviews was difficult as they were fearful of speaking about violence in the home and the repercussions this may bring for them and their wider families. This represented a break from what is considered as a societal norm for Bangladeshi women. There were challenges in the subsequent analysis in terms of translating and transcribing interviews from Bangla to English without compromising on the validity and originality of the women’s own expression of their experiences.

I interviewed ten professionals within two focus groups who were mainly from a social care setting. I sought their views on working with Bangladeshi women experiencing domestic violence and abuse and what in their views, helped or hindered women of Bangladeshi origin seeking support from their agencies. The complexity of individuals experiences, their fears, and the community responses highlighted how the women perceive that they deserve to remain in an abusive relationship.

The key findings of the research include the understanding and the importance of marriage within the Bangladeshi community and the role of the extended family as highly significant, both of which in turn limits women’s ability and willingness to seek support. It considered the strength women gain from their faith and giving forgiveness of their abusers as a way of healing themselves, and how they blame themselves for the abuse they have suffered. The thesis focused on the barriers and challenges they faced while they navigate the lack of understanding of their multiple identities of being a woman of colour cultural norms, language, and religious belief. The lack of recognition of abuse in a community which is patriarchal is a major factor in women not seeking, or finding, the support they need. The thesis highlighted the role of the extended family and the community pressures that force women to remain in an abusive relationship for much longer they wanted to. Women spoke about leaving being seen as a sense of individual failure and not protecting the name and honour of the family regardless of the women’s emotional, financial, or physical standing in the community. They highlighted how they want to protect the wider family in the UK and abroad, often by remaining in a marriage and suffering the abuse. I also argue that the social structure and inequalities created significant boundaries and limitations for these women, where undue responsibilities were placed on them for being the protector of children and saving the honour of the community and society at large as a woman.

Lastly, I conclude my research and discussed how women see the lack of support from agencies and how this collides and intersects with in the choices they make about the abuse they experienced, and how their decisions to remain or leave an abusive relationship are based on who they are as a Bangladeshi woman and how they are seen within the wider society.

My recommendations include the need to ensure Bangladeshi women’s experiences of domestic violence and abuse in research become more visible in research, which will require understanding and commitment on the part of researchers. Larger scale and longitudinal research is required that does not begin with the assumption that the community is problematic. Women must have a more prominent voice and opportunities to challenge current policies that do not recognise their specific needs or encourage and support them. This needs to happen through having others like them talking and involving women in support services nationally and locally and, most, within the wider social and faith community.

I recommend that women should be able to speak about abuse without threats of alienation and retribution affecting their wider families. I recommend that there need to be government guidelines on destigmatising domestic violence and abuse within the faith community in having joint work tackling domestic violence and abuse. There needs to be more connection across services, including an acceptance that religious beliefs and practices can be used positively to support women victims of domestic violence and abuse. This will also require support through statutory guidance and policies that are accessible to the Bangladeshi community and help open discussion about domestic violence and abuse within the community in a way that is not associated with shame and dishonour.