Silenced Within the Home: Domestic Spaces of Violence and Child Abuse in Dattani, Sharma, and Kapur

SARANYA G; RITU SHEPHERD

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i01.66401

Silenced Within the Home: Domestic Spaces of Violence and Child Abuse in Dattani, Sharma, and Kapur

Author(s)	Ms. SARANYA G, Dr. RITU SHEPHERD
Country	India
Abstract	This Paper critically investigates the theme of intrafamilial child abuse in contemporary Indian English literature through a theoretical reading of Mahesh Dattani’s Thirty Days in September, Akhil Sharma’s An Obedient Father, and Manju Kapur’s Difficult Daughters and Home. Employing trauma theory, feminist critique, and cultural studies, the paper examines how familial authority and patriarchal norms enable abuse while enforcing silence and emotional compliance. These texts dismantle the idealized image of the Indian family by revealing domestic spaces as sites of exploitation, moral contradiction, and psychological violence. The narratives foreground the long-term impact of abuse on subjectivity, memory, and interpersonal relationships, illustrating how victims internalize fear, shame, and fractured identity. At the same time, the writers use narrative strategies—confession, fragmentation, and emotional realism—to expose structures of complicity and to recuperate marginalized voices. By situating private suffering within broader socio-cultural frameworks, the paper argues that these works transform personal trauma into political critique. Ultimately, the study highlights the ethical power of literature in confronting taboo subjects, questioning inherited power hierarchies, and fostering awareness of child rights and gender justice in contemporary Indian society.
Keywords	Keywords: intrafamilial abuse, child trauma, Indian English literature, patriarchy, feminist theory, silence and voice
Field	Arts
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 1, January-February 2026
Published On	2026-01-20
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i01.66401

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Silenced Within the Home: Domestic Spaces of Violence and Child Abuse in Dattani, Sharma, and Kapur

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