Now On Sale - Daughters of Durga
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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.
"Daughters of Durga is a beautifully and empathically written book. The author skilfully weaves her detailed historical and contemporary research of Indian culture, dowry and abuse into a rich tapestry incorporating moving experiences from her own life and her extraordinary work with patients. This text provides the reader with a familiarity with the ancient historical cultural strengths of India, juxtaposed against the rapidly changing modern landscape evolving from the exposure and influence of western ideas. Put simply, this is a must-readbook for students, counsellors and workers who are working in the areas of prevention and intervention of violence and abuse with Indian and South Asian communities in Australia and transnationally"
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- Professor Jan Brackenridge , University of New South Wales
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Daughters of Durga: Professor Manjula Datta O'Connor In Conversation with Jess Hill. Manjula Datta O’Connor's book, Daughters of Durga, is an incisive investigation of domestic violence in South Asian communities, and the resilience of women in the face of adversity. She discusses her findings in conversation with Jess Hill.