Breaking the Silence on Cultural Control

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes a personal account of abuse. In this episode, we highlight the double standards that many South Asian women experience, but taken to the extreme. Unfortunately, this is not a new case, but we rarely get to hear the experiences of women who are willing to talk about the abuse they have suffered at the hands of their own family.Dorothea, at age 15, was taken to Pakistan by her father and left there without her passport, to stay with a family who were to ensure she was ‘suitably desi’, all because she had a boyfriend and her parents believed she had become too Westernised.Her account is harrowing, from being starved, cut off from friends and family and beaten. She describes her treatment and also compares it to what happened when the same was done to her father when he was younger. The difference reveals the stark realities of gender inequality and the double standards that persist.Join us as we explore the emotional and societal implications of these practices and discuss the pressing need for change.Chapters00:00 Introduction00:46 Personal Experiences of Cultural Control05:57 The Impact of Cultural Expectations on Identity11:41 Navigating Life Between Two Cultures17:52 The Role of Parents in Cultural Transmission23:53 The Aftermath of Trauma and Adjustment29:43 Seeking Support and Resources for HealingTo seek support, please refer to the details below. Website: https://www.harmfultraditionalpractices.co.uk/Email address: [email protected] Dorothea:Dorothea has worked within the Violence Against Women and Girls sector for 15 years, including with victims of sexual violence, domestic abuse, stalking and perpetrators of domestic abuse. Dorothea has specialised in harmful traditional practices throughout her career in VAWG. Dorothea has used her lived experience to advocate for improved responses for victims of harmful traditional practices. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit priyamohalcoaching.substack.com