Marital violence against Pakistani women in Scotland

The problem of male violence against women in intimate relationships has been addressed by the feminist literature over past four decades, but little work exists on the experiences of Pakistani women. This study aimed to explore the experiences of Pakistani women in Scotland who have suffered marital violence. It was based upon feminist perspective and employed qualitative methodology. Interviews with eighteen Pakistani women were carried out. The findings from this study extend an understanding of marital violence in the context of extended family where the perpetrator of violence against a wife is not just a husband but the mother-in-law also. Thus it complicates the understanding of family as site of violence that is not dyadic in nature. The findings also reveal that women can be both victims and perpetrators in their life time when seen through their position in life cycle based hierarchies in their marital homes