Harmful social and cultural practices that exist within South Asian communities in the UK and their impact on women

Abstract

This chapter recounts the influx of South Asian migrants to the UK since 1947, which was motivated by a need to escape civil war, to seek better economic opportunities, for marriage or to join family members. It cites the 2011 census indicating that South Asians represent the largest minority group in Britain and many of them are contributing to economic, social, and political life. It highlights the disadvantages of South Asian women migrants, such as language barriers, lack of education, lack of skills, poor-quality housing, unemployment, and specific forms of violence associated with the various cultural and religious practices that define their identity. The chapter discusses the increase in gender-based power imbalance that reinforces the patriarchal structures of both the host and migrant cultures, which leads to the further marginalisation and victimisation of women.