Dowry Deaths in India
Abstract Deaths of young brides through suicide or homicide following disputes over the dowry (gifts given by the brides family to that of the groom during and after the marriage) have increasingly become a feature of Indian society. ... One common approach to this problem has been to implement criminal laws against dowry practice. ... However, in India, a number of deeply rooted traditions, such as dowry, have made this effort all the more difficult and as a result, womens triumphs over oppression in India are all the more intriguing. India’s social classes are divided into four major groups. ... This caste system determines the available marriage partners of women and determines the amount of dowry one has to pay. Unlike the Unites States, where dating determines one’s future husband, marriage arrangements in India are made by the families of the proposed bride and groom (Vindhyu, 2002). In India dating is a taboo. Their traditional dowry system follows the arranged marriage system and is adhered to religiously. ... There is no clear proof as to when the dowry system began in India or that India was the first country to indulge in this practice. History tells us that in 12th century Europe, a dowry was a customary exchange and commonly practiced among the people, especially the aristocrats (Occhiogrosso, 1996). ... Ironically, India’s dowry was originally established as a way to safeguard a woman by providing “stridhan” (Oldenburg, 2002). In India, marriage is said to have its origin in “stridhan,” meaning a woman’s share of her parent’s wealth that was given to her at the time of her marriage (31). ... The abuse of this custom eroded and aborted the original meaningful function of dowry as a safety net for the woman (32). Dowry was corrupted to become the price tag for the groom and consequently a death sentence for the bride.