An apparent murder-suicide in Melbourne has given further rise to concern over domestic violence in Australia's Indian community.
Police have confirmed an intervention order against a man suspected of killing his former wife expired a few days before the incident.
Officers responded to a fatal accident in the early hours of Sunday morning. A car ploughed head-on into the path of an on-coming truck. The truck driver walked away, but the dead man, believed to be Sunil Beniwal was traced to a home in the city's western suburbs.
There, they found the body of Mr Beniwal's former wife Deepsheeka. Her three year old son and two housemates were also home.
Psychiatrist Dr Mandula O'Connor is an expert in domestic violence in multicultural communities. She says some cultures are more tolerant of male-domination in the domestic setting, and when women arrive in Australia they're exposed to comparative gender equality. Dr O'Connor says often, problems arise when wives challenge the status quo.
"The men find that hard to take because they are not used to being questioned and when they are questioned that makes them annoyed," she says.
Dr O'Connor says rates of domestic violence are generally higher among migrant communities .. and has long campaigned for greater awareness and education programs.
"The women have to speak up because if the women don't speak up the men are not going to give up their privilages and their control and their dominance easily."
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