Reflection on CFS’ 2nd Book Club

By Dr Bibiana Chan

It took us 12 months to gather again for our second CFS Book Club, and it was well worth the wait.

Following the format of our inaugural meeting, each attendee brought along a couple of their favourite books and shared what they loved about them and why these titles had made such an impact on their lives.

When promoting the event on several community Facebook pages, I gave it the catchy title “Book Club with a Twist“ The twist was simple but important: participants didn’t need to read a pre-selected book before attending. This removed the pressure of having to finish a book within a fixed timeframe and made the gathering much more welcoming and accessible.

Our eight participants, ranging in age from 14 to 70, shared an incredibly diverse collection of books. The discussion spanned a wide range of genres and cultures, featuring works by British, American, Korean and Singaporean authors. We were also honoured to welcome a budding Indonesian-Australian author, Ratu Rida, who shared her deeply personal journey of escaping domestic violence and transforming her painful experiences into a force for good. Through her social enterprise, Women’s Lantern, she now supports migrant women experiencing domestic and family violence.

I had finished reading Ratu’s memoir, Homecoming – The Art and Practice of Trauma Recovery , the day before our book club meeting. It was a real page-turner for me, and I found myself resonating with her story on many levels.

As the moderator, I conducted a brief Q&A with Ratu. I asked what gave her the courage to share such deeply personal experiences. Her response was both powerful and memorable:

“When you have lost literally everything, you become fearless.”

She hopes that by sharing her story, she can inspire other women who feel as though they are ‘sinking in the same boat’ to believe that there is hope and a way forward.

We also discussed the cultural expectations placed on many Asian women to obey their parents before marriage and their husbands afterwards. This expectation of unquestioning obedience remains deeply embedded in many Asian cultures and can make it even more difficult for women experiencing domestic violence to seek help.

Ratu spoke candidly about feeling trapped in her marriage. Leaving simply did not feel like an option. I am sure many survivors of domestic violence would identify with this experience. Years of intimidation and emotional abuse can lead someone to believe they are useless and worthless, leaving them convinced that they have no choice but to depend on their abusive partner for survival.

To conclude our discussion, I asked Ratu how we could support her important work. She shared a brochure showcasing the beautiful solar lanterns and other handcrafted products available through Women’s Lantern. Every purchase helps support migrant women experiencing domestic and family violence, turning light into hope for those rebuilding their lives.

Click HERE to check out the book recommendations of each member (Bibi, Bernard, Caroline, Geoff, Karen, Ryan, Sarah). A big thank you to Ratu to share her courageous story of recovery with us. Thank you for their contributions of everyone to make this meeting very interesting and meaningful.

A group photo after thank you bouquets were presented to Ratu and Caroline (photo credit: Geoff T).