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News: Interview With M. Webb: An Abuse-Victim-Turned-Autho
News Central Asia, 2005
Domestic abuse is a global curse. Some form of domestic abuse is found in all cultures, societies, countries, and nations, religious or ethnic groups. Your economic conditions and your education are no guarantee that you are forever immune from domestic abuse. Anyone could be a potential victim or aggressor. Right at this moment someone around is suffering in silence in an abusive relationship. You could be her or his lifeline.
Central Asian societies have a way of tolerating or ignoring domestic violence. The victim suffers in silence and the society, in an unspoken way, discourages her from getting out of the painful relationship. It is a curious mix of tradition and self-sacrifice, sometimes given the false veneer of religious obligations. While divorce is a perfectly legal option in Islam, tribal societies paint it in such a bad light that the victim usually prefers the daily abuse rather than wearing the stigma of divorce.
Invasion of Russia and arrival of communism did almost nothing to alleviate the sufferings of the women in Central Asian societies. In fact, the Russians brought their own brand of vodka-induced violence that was even worse than the local version. The result, sadly for women, was an increased likelihood of violence though, under the new circumstances, she had the opportunity of being equally drunk while being abused by her partner. Moreover, the prevalence of sexual union outside the wedlock extended the network of potential victims and aggressors considerably. Under the soviet traditions you had the choice to get abused at your own home, at the home of your lover or at any other place of your choice.
The full text of this article can be found at News Central Asia.
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