October 17, 2011 admin

Lives on the Brink…Bridging the Chasm between two great nations, India and United States

“I left my home hoping to lead a happily married life with my husband in america. I would be.. But what I got was intolerable abuse. I was not even allowed to meet anyone. I could not even call my parents, could not drive, could not go out of home. I was now a prisoner of my circumstance. I could also not get any help! I want my life to be lesson for others. “
“My husband is a doctor in America ,he came to India and soon after marriage disappeared. My daughter is now 16 and has never met her father. I found that my husband divorced me without my knowledge and has never paid a dime in support and all efforts to locate him have been futile”
"Ratna came to me after years of fighting an intransigent battle alone in the American courts. As of this writing, she has gone through thousands of dollars and unbelievable suffering as she tries to hold onto her only son. Her fight is far from over and she is barely holding on to her sanity  and fight for him.
 According to a recent survey in the Boston area, 40.8% of South Asian women reported having been physically or sexually abused by a male partner in their lifetime. A rate of over 2 out of 5 South Asian women report domestic violence, which is much higher than the general U.S. population (28% according to UNICEF, 2000). Nearly 90% were immigrant women.
"All we know is that domestic violence in South Asian community “is seriously under reported because we have seen many women who never get as far as the formal institutions” We Indian women are inculcated to keep such matters to ourselves. It is extremely difficult to overcome this tendency, especially when you find yourself in a strange land with unfamiliar people.
Anu Peshawaria is an Indian American Lawyer, an expert in US Immigration and First Legal Advisor, Counselor Community Affairs Embassy Of India Washington DC.  She conducts educational workshops through her NGO Seva Legal Aid to create awareness of this huge problem. Anu is also a former national tennis champion and represented India at Wimbledon
The book was released by Balram Gupta Senior Advocate and Former Chairman Deptt of Laws Punjab University in a joint function organised by Punjab University and Diamond books in the presence of the, Dean Mr G K Chattrath, Head of Deptt of Laws Prof Nishta Jaiswal, Mr Narender Verma Chairman Diamond Books and Dr Kiran Bedi Ramon Magasayaya Award winner.
Lives on the Brink offers some wise preventative measures a woman can take, it is also for the parents of such prospective brides and grooms. The book covers an important aspect of what immigrant women should expect when they come to USA. An extensive section of the book lays out the international agreements that US and India have signed and need to consider signing to help counter the abuses wrought by the disparity of the marriage and family laws between these two nations. Anu Peshawaria has dealt with many such problems and helped hundreds of women navigate the complex American Immigration Laws.
The book is an eye opener for all those intending to travel to USA to marry, live or  work in USA.

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