Captive in a snowglobe: A story of love, betrayal, and resilience in the face of psychological domestic abuse

My conference presentation articulates a creative short story that explores the themes of love and relationships, as well as gender-based violence. Importantly, the power of love is challenged by gender-based violence that undermines individual identity and agency. My story’s dramatisation of gender-based violence evokes real-world issues concerning domestic abuse, and it is timely considering Australia’s current national emergency that seeks to protect victims. Like many real-world relationships, my story traces a gradual bond between a male and female character. The story is told through the point of view of the female character, and so her experience of love, marriage, and, later, abuse is mediated through her perception. The story utilises the technique of flashbacks to revisit significant moments in the female character’s life as she vividly reminisces horrifying events that led to a life-changing decision that proves to be disastrous. Such a decision negatively impacts the quality of her life, and its significance is enduring and detrimental. My short story delves into the destructive nature of psychological domestic abuse because it seeks to shed light upon the female experience of this kind of pernicious violence. My topic is also socially and culturally timely, as domestic violence is not only devastating for victims but also for their families and communities.