Type:	Journal Article
Title:	Sita's trousseau: restorative justice, domestic violence, and South Asian culture
Other Titles:	Violence against women
Authors:	Goel, Rashmi
Keywords:	Restorative justice;Cross-cultural
Year:	2005
Publisher:	Sage Publications
Citation:	11 (5), May 2005
Notes:	Discusses the cultural factors affecting South Asian women in particular resulting their reluctance to advocate for themselves. This is contrary to the central assumptions made by the restorative justice movement for dispute resolution and therefore concludes that this model is not suitable for South Asian women. Examines some of the features of the iconic figure of Sita so revered and emulated by women of this culture to find underlying reasons for their lack of suitability for the restorative justice model. These include the ideals of self-sacrifice, role of building up their husband and the preservation and acceptance of the family hierarchy. The repercussions of divorce are very serious in this culture – a divorced woman is nothing and has nothing to offer her children. Argues that these ideas are not confined to women living in South Asia but are often strongly replicated in immigrant families. Acknowledges that restorative justice can be very effective but only when the underlying conditions exist. Participants must be self interested and able to advocate for themselves – characteristics that South Asian women often do not possess. Argues that restorative justice essentially urges a shift away from individual interests towards those of the community however this is how South Asian women live anyway and for them the shift needs to be made the other way i.e. towards their individual interests The author concludes that the restorative justice model is most likely to encourage the victim of domestic violence to stay with the abuser with no change to their historic state of abuse.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/12527
ISSN:	1077-8012
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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