Understanding why GBV persists is key to breaking its cycle. In South Asian American communities, it’s rooted in cultural, systemic, and historical forces.

1. Cultural Taboo & Stigma

South Asian cultural norms often emphasize family reputation, collective harmony, and adherence to rigid gender roles. Survivors are pressured to prioritize these values over their own safety, reinforcing silence and perpetuating abuse.

This might look like:

• Honor and shame dynamics: Survivors are discouraged from speaking out due to fears of “dishonoring” their family or community. This cultural narrative often isolates survivors and protects abusers.

• Collectivist values: Family unity and collective well-being are frequently placed above individual needs, discouraging survivors from disrupting familial or social structures.

• Taboos around relationships and sex: Conversations about intimate relationships, abuse, or mental health are often avoided, leaving survivors without the vocabulary or support to articulate their experiences.

• Stigma surrounding divorce: Women who leave abusive relationships face harsh judgment and ostracization, making separation an unviable option for many.

2. Patriarchy and Power Dynamics

Patriarchal systems in South Asian communities create and sustain unequal power dynamics, where men hold authority over women and other marginalized genders. These dynamics play out within families, communities, and institutions.

This might include:

• Rigid gender roles: Men are expected to exhibit dominance and control, while women are relegated to subservient caregiving roles.

• Intergenerational power dynamics: In extended or joint-family systems, abuse can stem not just from partners but also from in-laws or other family members seeking to enforce traditional roles.

• Economic control: Women are often financially dependent on male partners, limiting their ability to leave abusive situations.

• Impact on children: Children raised in these environments may internalize patriarchal norms, perpetuating cycles of violence into future generations.

3. Historical Legacies of Violence

GBV in South Asian communities is not just shaped by present-day cultural and systemic forces—it is also deeply tied to historical and transnational factors.

Key influences include:

• Colonial legacies: British colonial rule in South Asia reinforced patriarchal norms and codified them into legal systems, leaving a lasting impact on gender dynamics.

• Migration and isolation: Immigrants often lose extended support networks, leaving them vulnerable to abuse in new and unfamiliar environments.

• Community gatekeeping: Diasporic communities may enforce traditional norms more rigidly as a way of preserving cultural identity, intensifying control over survivors.

• Caste and class oppression: Survivors from marginalized caste or class backgrounds often face additional layers of violence and exclusion, both within their families and in broader systems.

4. Multiple Vulnerabilities

For many survivors, GBV is compounded by intersecting identities, creating unique challenges and barriers.

Key intersections include:

• Immigration status: Survivors on dependent visas face legal and financial constraints, along with fear of deportation.

• LGBTQ+ identities: LGBTQ+ survivors often face rejection or violence within their families, coupled with systemic erasure in mainstream resources.

• Disability: Survivors with disabilities are at heightened risk of abuse and are often excluded from services designed without accessibility in mind.

• Caste dynamics: Dalit women and other caste-marginalized survivors are particularly vulnerable to violence and systemic exclusion.