Breaking the Shackles of Invisible Violence in Postmillennial South Asian Graphic Narratives

Abstract

This paper explores the nuanced representation of gender-based violence (GBV) within the familial domain as depicted in Sarah: An Obedient Pakistani Girl (2015), Priya’s Mirror (2016), “Asha, Now” (2015). The narratives delve into the concept of invisible violence – psychological, emotional, and cultural oppressions – inflicted upon women by their own family members, exposing the pernicious realities often concealed within the private sphere. Sarah: An Obedient Pakistani Girl illuminates the psychological effects of patriarchal expectations by depicting the systematic suppression of a young girl’s independence under the pretence of cultural and familial obedience. However, by focussing on group healing and resilience, Priya’s Mirror provides an engaging examination of GBV. It particularly addresses the invisible wounds that survivors of acid assaults bear, which are frequently caused or made worse by family relationships. “Asha, Now” from Drawing the Line by Priya Kuriyan explores painful recollections of a woman’s tumultuous upbringing, where she struggles to survive in her family’s “secured” slum. Asha suffers from chronic emotional and bodily suffering as a result of her brother’s sexual yearning and scopophilic stare. Even as Asha ages, she still has to deal with her brother’s “nightly visits,” which continues to plague her. Within the mélange of violence studies, gender studies, and comics studies, this paper explores how visual storytelling amplifies the voices of survivors and challenges the normalization of violence with a view to breaking the invisible shackles of gender-based violence.