Arranged marriages potential trap

By PHIL TAYLOR

The Government is being urged to close an immigration loophole that is being used to trap Indian women in abusive relationships.

Social workers specialising in the Indian community say Indian men with New Zealand residency are bringing in fiancees on the promise of marriage and the permanent residency that goes with it.

Some of these women are treated virtually as slaves, forced to work long hours in businesses, treated as a family dog's body and in some cases, are forced into prostitution.

Jeet Kaur, a Sikh community social worker, said the men use the prospect of permanent residency as a weapon against the women. Often the women were prevented from ringing their families overseas but many did not want to burden them or felt too ashamed.

Because they had been living in a de facto relationship they were likely to be considered in their own communities as used goods, unsuitable for marriage.

"They keep it to themselves, until the bomb explodes," said Ms Kaur. Some women in these situations became suicidal or mentally ill.

Shakti Migrant Services Trust, which runs the only refuge catering for Asian women, wants the Government to stop providing "fiancee visas", instead letting in only those who can prove they have married.

If they could satisfy Immigration that the marriage was genuine the bride would then be granted residency.

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel acknowledged that the category dealing with residency through marriage and relationships was problematic and was being reviewed.

A spokeswoman for Ms Dalziel said the minister was aware of concerns raised by Shakti and these were part of the review.

Shakti workers said they saw cases where dowry demands - a tradition prevalent in north Indian states of Rajastan, Delhi and Punjab - put huge pressure on women. Tradition obliges the families of brides to pay a dowry in addition to the cost of the wedding, particularly in arranged marriages.

Shakti is helping a young woman who tried to jump from a bridge.

Her family had paid a $60,000 dowry but now there were demands for money, Ms Nair said.

The demands were often accompanied by physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

"Sometimes the whole of the [husband's] family would join in.

Sergeant Rajesh Jattan, the police's South Asia liaison officer, said domestic violence was a significant problem in the Indian community. Indians made up 4 per cent of the population of Counties Manukau district and 5 per cent of crime, the bulk of it domestic violence.

Mr Jattan said where the woman made a complaint of domestic violence it was often withdrawn because of pressure from the extended family for the woman to reconcile.

"They would rather persevere with a bad marriage, sweep it under the carpet, than face the embarrassment of a failed marriage.

"Men are the aggressors in this community. We do what we can but we need a good complainant and a credible witness, and we can only help those who will help themselves."

Mr Jattan said the community had to learn violence was unacceptable. That involved women refusing to tolerate it.

"We will investigate and refer [the woman] to a safe place."

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