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                                            VICTORIAN SENIOR OF THE YEAR  
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Now On Sale - Daughters of Durga

       Dowries, Gender Violence and Family in Australia

 

"A searing, often shocking study of family violence.” - Age


The Indian-born clinical psychiatrist, teacher and campaigner has become a one-woman army against the practice of dowry in Australia. The dowry system – in which the family of a girl or woman betrothed to be married will shower gifts upon the family of her intended husband – is illegal in India, but remains a widespread practice both there and in Australia. 

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O’Connor argues dowry abuse is fundamentally tied to family violence taking place in Indian-Australian communities. Her relentless lobbying led to dowry abuse being added to the Victorian criminal code as a form of family abuse in 2018. 

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Her new book, Daughters of Durga, draws on her research and clinical experience. It introduces readers to the complexities of family violence as experienced by South Asian migrant women in Australia, with a primary focus on Indian women.

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“Inspiring and deeply humane, this book is a revelation about patriarchy, love, abuse and power, and into how an ancient culture has within it the key to its future. O’Connor is a thrilling thinker - I could not put this book down.”

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- Jess Hill, Author of See What You Made Me Do

Purchase Book at Amazon or Melbourne University Press website 

Dr. Manjula O'Connor is an established thought leader and must-have spokesperson on eliminating domestic violence and gender inequalities. She is also quoted frequently on topics ranging from enhancing gender equality, gender based empowerment, building safer families and growing resilient communities.

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Dr Manjula's Recent & Upcoming Engagements

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Listen to Manjula's latest contribution on ABC RN Radio  

 

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/godforbid/strict-upbringing-religion-culture/103540560

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 Upcoming 

  • Grand round Presentation. Intersection of migration and gender violence Western Sunshine Hospital. 17/9/25 at 8:30 am

  • A mental health well-being session with African counsellors and community workers. 8/10/25

  • 2025 Barton Pope Lecture 'Mental Health in the Shadow of Violence: a social and therapeutic perspective' Date 13 October 2025. Organised by RANZCP SA Branch.

  • Presentation at The Melbourne Clinic Academic forum: A multidisciplinary presentation on Non-Fatal Strangulation. Date 19/11/25 at 12:30 pm

  • Presentation to Mental Health Professionals: 16 Days of Activism. Screening of film Finding Affection followed by Interactive workshop on understanding gender-based violence in CALD Communities. Date 28/12/25, 2-4 pm

  • 16 Days of Activism: Awareness to Action. Multicultural communities leading the change Finding Affection film followed by Panel Discussion. Civic Gallery at Phive, A council venue in Parramatta Square, Sydney. Date 4/12/25 at 6 pm

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Recent 

  • ECHO Meeting with Spectrum : Invited Speaker " Walking on eggshells  Understanding the nature of Coercive Control" 

  • RANZCP Annual Congress May 2025 ; Chair Symposium "Non Fatal Strangulation"

  • RANZCP Annual Congress May 2025: Speaker : Psychiatric sequalae  of Non-Fatal Strangulation 

  • Invited PhD Examiner Wellington University.  2 September 2024- National Council of Women Vic AGM Keynote speaker.  "Harm      Caused to Mis-identified Perpetrators.5September 2024

  • Goulburn Valley Health ."Family Violence in Perinatal Period: Red Flags.  17 September 2024

  • Senior Registrars RANZCP. "Sharing Personal Professional Journey "

  • 4 October 2024-Peer Practice Review Facilitator RANZCP  

  • Expert Evidence to Victorian Parliamentary Healing " Inquiry into capturing data on family violence perpetrates."12 August 2024.

  • South Australian Office of women invitation to Facilitate a Round Table. 'Conversation with leaders of multifaith and CALD communities.' 11 July 2024

  • Invited Expert Evidence to Joint Committee on Corporations and financial services regulatory guidelines. 8 July 2024 

  • Australian Federal Women Doctors Association. About 'Daughters of Durga'  Conversation with Dr Sarah Coll. 24 April 2024 . 

  • Queensland based health professionals Mutual Relational Workshop . 24 April 2024.

  • RANZCP Section on Perinatal  and Infant Psychiatry 14-15 June.2024 Panel Member ' Family Violence , pregnancy ,mental health in migrant women' 

  • RANZCP Family Violence Workshop Chair "Protecting the first precious  1000 days of life." 16 June 2024 

  •  RANZCP Annual Congress. 21 May 2024. Chair Symposium .    "A duty of care." Role of Psychiatrists in care of patients with family violence. 

  • Coroner's Inquest into murder-suicide. Invited Expert Witness. 05April 2024

  • -MRR Workshop. With Indian community group. 20 March 2023

  • -ABC radio interview on program God Forbid. Panel on   'Child-Parent Relationships'. 24 March 2024.

  • -Chat n Chai . In conversation with  Saleha Singh. 11 March 2024

  • -Family Lawyers Education Network Association. FLENA NSW. Date  26 February 2024. A lesser Known form of economical abuse; Dowry abuse

  • -SBS Urdu interview  "What is family violence". 8 January 2024

  • -RANZCP Victorian Branch Annual Conference . 2 December 2023. Invited After Dinner Speaker as the winner of Meritorious Award. My role and campaign as a psychiatrist in influencing society, laws and professional development   

  • -AustralAsian Centre AGM 7 December 2023. Presentation of annual report 

  • -All India Institute of Medical Sciences.  Rishikesh India by Video . 8 December 2023. Invited Speaker International Conference 'How to detect family violence in your patients, and what to do about it"   

  • -Monash University JMS Tutorial. Invited Lecturer. 1 November 2023. " Family Violence in Culturally diverse communities"

  • -The Indian Doctors Ladies Club invited speaker. 17 November 2023. Exploring  the drivers of family violence  and impacts- film Darlings as a case study.  

  • -Mental Health Professional Network. 20 November 2023.  Invited Speaker. Dowries and family violence in migrant communities.

  •  -Australian Government. Department of Social Services. Invited Speaker.. Video.  29 November 2023. 'Neurodiversity at workplace' 

  •   - Delhi University. India  World Anthropology Conference. 17 October 2023. Invited Co-Chair Panel session #130. 

  • -  Delhi University. India  World Anthropology Conference. 17 October 2023. Speaker.  Impact of migration on Indian women's vulnerability to gender based violence. 

  • -Lucknow India University of MBPG College GLOBAL CONNECTIONS: UNVEILING THE INDIAN DIAPOSRAS TRANSNATIONAL IMPACT .October 2023. Invited Key Note Speaker

  •  --Invited speaker to Brisbane Writers Festival 12-14 May 2023

 

   

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