Raising awareness of domestic violence, sexual violence and rape against South Asian women globally

HEADLINES WOMEN VIOLENCE 3IN recent years, India has made headlines around the world with the gang rape of Jyoti Singh Pandey on December 16, 2012. However, many fail to see that sexual violence is not a new issue in India, nor globally, and many cases before and since the Pandey case have been ignored. But, why now? Why has the Jyoti Singh Pandey case received so much attention?

HEADLINES WOMEN VIOLENCE 1These are the types of questions Sunny Mangat hopes to address. After completing her BA in psychology from Simon Fraser University, Mangat moved to London, UK, in pursuit of her passion: further studies in human rights activism. She recently completed her Master’s degree from City University, London, in international politics and human rights, with a focus on sexual violence against South Asian woman in India.

“Violence against women is not restricted to the South Asian community, nor is it restricted to India. This is a global issue that needs to be addressed,” says Mangat, who plans to expand her research into sexual violence against South Asian women as a PhD candidate in 2015. “My focus on the South Asian community comes from a deep rooted passion to raise awareness within my own community and globally as a Sikh woman.”

HEADLINES WOMEN VIOLENCE 2Through her research, Mangat hopes to further understand the various dynamics that affect the individual experience of abused women. She explains that women are shaped by multi-faceted components such as religion, caste, class, geography and age.

“As a feminist, activist but most importantly, as a humanist, I ask myself how do such incidents take place and what can we do to stop these grotesque human rights violations? What is the response of the community, police, medical and political community? What can we do to evoke change?” notes Mangat.

Along with her extensive research, Mangat has recently launched a campaign called the South Asian Woman Against Violence Against Women (SAWAVAW). Its purpose is to create awareness, in the hopes that it will evoke change, or at the very least put pressure on the Indian government’s stance on women.

“I have been researching this topic for the last 14 months and it is also the topic of my PhD. In my research I have found many politicians in India, have made many ridiculous statements,” says Mangat. “Such as PM Narinder Modi’s statement: ‘Does it suit us to make comments on such incidents, can we not be quiet?’”

While living in London, Mangat reached out to a group of people and with help from individuals in the UK and Canada, she and this group of individuals have created images which depict violence against women and incorporate the intersectional structures of gender, class, caste and culture. The images depict women from Nepal who are trafficked into India, Dalit women who have high rates of violence, simply because they are Dalit, and also middle and upper class Hindu women, no woman is safe from the potential act of sexual violence. “What we are doing is taking a spin off political statements (such as Modi’s) and through images we are countering their statements,” says Mangat.

On December 5, Mangat will be hosting an awareness campaign event at Crown Palace in Surrey. This black-tie event will include a fashion show, dinner and dance and all the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards further research in sexual violence against women in India. Tickets will are $40 and can be purchased from Jeenu Deol of Lavanny Boutique at 778-688-0224, Kamal Video Palace, 82nd and 120th Street, Surrey, at 604-592-9777, and Non-Stop Pizza, Fraser Highway and 152nd Street, at 604-588-5252. For further information, visit www.sawavaw.com

We can share in breaking the silence and facilitating change,” says Mangat. “Together we are hoping to reach the global community and raise awareness of domestic violence, sexual violence and rape against South Asian women in India and globally.”