OUTING AN UGLY TRUTH

Manpreet Kaur Singh's enlightening and realistic report on domestic violence has won two prestigious awards. FARZANA AHMAD reports

SBS Radio Punjabi's Executive Producer Manpreet Kaur Singh added more feathers to her cap recently by clinching two awards in the 2014 NSW Premier's Mu..lticulrural Meclia .Awards held in Sydney. Manpreet's multi -award winning fea tL1.re The Enet1Q' Within was recognised as che Best Raclio Report and Best Feature of the Year (any meclium) during tl1e ceremony.

The report whicl1 was first aired in December 20 l2, confronts the issue of domescic violence witliin the Australian Indian community. le is a compelling dissection of family abuse through the voices of the victims, the police, experts and tl1e court system, and it has struck a chord witl1 the community on many different le,,els.

"The docm:nentarywas commissioned b)' SBS in 2012", Manpreec cold T,,dian Link. '·It cook around four months of intensive investigative work to complete. During this rime we consulted with authorities, experts and victims in Melbourne and

INDIAN LINK

Sydney to portray an honest picmre of domestic viol ence witll.io the Indian community in Austral ia. \'(/e presented seven stories by interviewing victims directly; of them, one couple and one victim are now deceased as a direct result of domestic violence".

The report aimed ro deternune whether Indian cu.Im.re and circumstances like arranged marriages and migracion make domestic vio lence unique in this community.

"We have asked the experts and tl1e victims, and now il is up to tl1e people to decide", she added.

Regarding tl1e reaction of the Indian community to this report, Manpreet said, "lt w·as an honest appraisal of questions everyone asks. The response bas been strong and mostly positive where people have realised mar 1.hey have co stop being in denial and do something about iL But at the same time, there has been some negative reaction with people arguing that tl1e viccims are parcly to blame too. For tl1e wider community 1.h9ugh, the documencary has been an eye opener".

Manpreet regards me docurnencary The Enmry fl?itbin as tl,e most clifficu..lt and comp lex story she's handled professionally.

She is deeply moved b y me plight of victims of domestic violence in thelndian community and feels a need tO make a difference. She believes that although a lot is being done in this regard, it is not enough.

"There is a need for community organisations, government agencies and welfare groups m come together and work as a unit in understanding the intricacies of tl,e Indian culture and address fami ly violence accordingly'', she averred.

"Cu.rre11tly in cases of domestic abuse, the government wants the police to be the first p9int of contact, but most Indian victims wiU not do that as it escalates tl1e issue to a poinr of no return. CulmraJ oriemacion is necessary to handle differenc cases appropriately and sensitively", she added.

After the resouncling success of me Punjabi broadcast, Tb c En1111D1 Tl'/ithin was remade in Englis b and a.ired in August 2013. lt received the United Nations Association of Australia Media Award in the special category 'Increasing Awareness and Understanding o f Women's Rights and Issues' and was also a finalist for tl1e Walkley Award in the same year. Tb.is makes Manpteet tl1e first Indian -origin journalist in Australia to be nominated for the \Xi'alkleys.

:Maopreet insisL~ tint though. it is gratifying co be recognised, she didn't make The Ti11et1!)' 11{/itbin to win awards. She maintains that she has done many stories on sensitive issues, and purity of intencion and compassion has been her strengtl1 in gert.ing the message oul.

"l have utmost respect for every victim who spoke to us in making this documentary," she said. "\Xi'e can't imagine what the)' go through, so let's not waste their bravado and do something co bring about a change".

Even though sbe is best known in Austr.alia as a radio broadcaster, .Manpreet's contribution to ocher branches o f journalism , in print, te levisio n, raclio and o nline media, cannot be ignored. Bm radio is her medium of choice.

"To be honest it was the onl y medium tlrnt gave me a break when I came to Aus tralia," she revealed. " The work we do is totally spontaneous and unscripted. Peop le Jet us into meir homes where w e have intimate conversations with tbem that are straight from the heart. Peo ple open up more on radio as it prov ides the eJemenr o f anonynucy. I wouldn't change anything abour it".

Her 2 1-year invo lvement with SBS has seen her g o from being a 'one-man show' to heading a team as Executive Producer of the Punjabi broadcast. The SBS Punjabi bro adcas t went £tom being aired once a week to tive cirnes a week since lasr year.

F o r someone who has received considerable recognition, Manpteet is surprisingly down - toearch and friendJy.

She has received many awards including me Media Award at Victoria's 2013 Multiculmra..l Awards for Excellence in December 2013, and the state's Individual Award for Media Excellence in 2011.

Manpreet is passionate about preserving the history of Indian arrivals in Australia and contributes articles co tl1e reputed website Sikhchic.com.

A significant highlight of her career has been fulfilling tbe last wishes of a Sikh hawker Pooran Singh who died in Australia in 194 7, and wanted his a shes co be retutned to India and sprinkled in the river Ganges. l\1anpreet was inscrumencal in fulfilling d1is ,\clsh through Ltniting people from India, Australia and England in this goodwill mission. This story has now been commissioned by Educational SerYices Australia as an educational resotl.[ce for high school students in Australia.