Black and Blue Sari: The true story of a woman surviving and overcoming years of abuse, torture and fear in her marriage

by Kama S. Dhillon

Bloodshed. Confinement. Forced submission. Torture. Rape. Did these atrocities occur in a medieval prison? In a World War Two concentration camp? Was the victim a helpless prisoner of war? No, this suffering and conflict did not take place on a battlefield. For Kamal Dhillon, the battlefield was her home, and the enemy was lying in bed beside her. Black and Blue Sari is the riveting autobiography of a young girl, traditionally raised in India and married at the age of 18 in Vancouver, Canada. What followed was years of severe and sadistic abuse at the hands of her husband, in both India and Canada. The abuse included beatings, sexual torture, being tied up for long periods of time, being doused with kerosene (and then being given the matches), being hanged, and even being forced to jump into an ocean. Through it all, Kamal hung on to life because of her four precious children and her dream of what could be. When the sadistic abuse was most severe, fantasizing about a better future became her coping mechanism. Seizing her last chance to escape, she left her husband's family home in India, but without her children. In the midst of her flight, a stranger at an airport heard her cries of despair and shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with her. Entering a personal relationship with Jesus was the first step in a challenging journey that eventually led to Kamal getting her children back, while still experiencing stalking and harassment from her husband. In the end, forgiveness freed her from the despair and fear of the past. This true story is a testament of a young girl's desire to survive and to not let an abusive husband and his family destroy her. This book is an encouragement for those in the terrible grip of abuse to not give up and to get help. It is also an inspiration for others to not ignore the evil of abuse but to let God work through them to free those suffering such terrible bondage.

314 pages, Paperback

Published June 21, 2018

Reviews

[Joan K · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is unbelievable how a woman can be so abused for years, and the people who witness it do nothing. I feel terrible that such acts are carried out. Good on author Kamal S. Dhillon for telling her story. We should all be brave enough to help & protect the victims and to expose the cowardly wife abusers.

[Kiran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the book was emotionally riveting,
I found it poorly structured and sometimes repetitive. The latter half of the book becomes an endorsement for Jesus, but I can understand since the book is based on the writer's life.

[Elaan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Compelling and horrifying, but not very well written.

[Fjgordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very poorly edited which was a distraction for me. While I understand Kamal’s inability to leave her husband and the inherent cultural practices which compounded her problems, I became frustrated when she kept returning to her in-laws despite clear evidence that nothing would change. Her subsequent reliance on religion and belief that God would see her through was annoying as it removed her agency in changing her circumstances.

I finished the book because I wanted to read the final resolution. I’m glad Kamal found her way out of a very abusive situation but she has instead seized the crutch of religion. She managed to eventually escape and should trust her own strengths to negotiate her future.

I would not recommend this book.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One amazing book! I couldn't keep my eyes off of it!