Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The first thing an abused woman should do is completely remove herself from the situ-
ation. She needs a chance to think objectively before any further decisions can be made. It
is important for her to re-examine her life and ask herself what she wants out of this rela-
tionship. She must decide whether she wants to put up with such abuse or make a new life
without her partner.
It isn't easy to gather the courage to break away. Outside help should be sought, but the
ultimate decision to change has to come from oneself. Otherwise it is easy to return to the
same old rut.
In many countries there are networks of temporary shelters which offer refuge to
battered wives and their dependents. These are not limited to use by local women, though
language can occasionally be a problem in some countries. In fact, quite a few shelters suit-
able for foreign women can be found in many places with an expatriate community, main-
tained by missionary and other public service organizations. All battered women's shelters
have secret addresses, providing a safe and private haven for these women to think through
their options and prepare themselves for whatever change they want to make in life. Tele-
phone numbers for such shelters can be found through community advice bureaus, public
or private social welfare organizations, churches or temples, or from the medical officer, if
there is one, of the nearest consulate. Telephone calls are treated in strictest confidence.
Tolerating abuse is just as destructive as the beating itself. It is important for a battered
woman to understand her own behavior so that she doesn't end up repeating history. Parting
with an abusive partner will not totally solve the problem. She needs to learn how to be
self-reliant, and to rebuild her self-confidence.
M
IXED
MARRIAGES
AND
CULTURAL
CONFUSION
Of course, not every expatriate marriage consists of two foreigners. Nowadays, with more
liberal attitudes toward interracial marriages, especially in western countries, and increas-
ing cosmopolitanism in major capitals and trading centers around the world, mixed mar-
riages no longer carry the stigma they held a few decades ago.
Nevertheless, many myths still remain about marriages between people of different
race, nationality or culture. The most common misconception is that mixed marriages are
doomed to failure, just because the couple doesn't share a common background. Few stud-
ies claim to show any conclusive evidence that mixed marriages, whether intercultural, in-
terracial, or inter-religious, are any more problem-prone than unicultural matches.
In fact, at best, mixed marriages can be even more successful than single-culture famil-
ies. Cultural differences can actually add spice and stimulation to a relationship. There is
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