In a bizarre incident, a bridegroom abandoned his bride at the wedding venue in a village in Gujarat after screaming that the luxury sedan promised as dowry had not been delivered. This is not a scene from a movie; such incidents occur throughout India, even in this day and age. The girl was lucky in this case, however, many women continue to be victims and endure torture in the name of dowry throughout the marriage.
Origin of Dowry
A natural question that comes to mind is what factors contribute to the evolution of dowry. Dowry, in some form or another, can be traced back to ancient times and was known as Stree Dhan. In those days, a woman was not entitled to inherit her parent’s wealth. A handsome dowry was thought to provide the girl with some social and economic security as she had no rights to her family’s property. Dowry was not necessarily bad in those days. It later evolved into a tool for putting pressure on the bride and her parents in the name of social custom and honour.
The dowry is currently a curse in the society. The concept of dowry has evolved into a completely different notion than tradition once prescribed. The word ‘dowry’ means the property and money that a bride brings to her husband’s house at the time of her marriage. It is an exchange of wealth between the bride’s family and the groom’s family.
Reasons for the rise in dowry
Previously, dowry took the form of jewellery or clothing; today, families offer cash or luxury items as part of the bargaining process. Despite the laws, dowry is prevalent in various parts of the country, and therefore a woman is considered a financial burden for her family. Female infanticide and abortions are the result, particularly in rural areas where couples prefer to have a boy child. The groom’s family believes they are entitled to dowry, making the girl vulnerable to violence and abuse if she is unable to meet the dowry demands.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau reports dowry deaths occur approximately every hour in India. Around 25000 women between the ages of 15 and 34 are subject to abuse which sometimes leads to death. It is surprising that this menace continues to exist in the 21st century. In India, the concept of dowry was mostly prevalent among the upper caste, but the lower caste quickly followed suit in order to improve their status.
Dowry is also said to have been a part of economic development, with girls from lower castes marrying upper-caste boys for a large dowry. Because of this competition, the dowry graph is rising. Another theory holds that as men gained better jobs, their value in the marriage market increased, and thus more and more families began to give dowry. In developing countries, it is assumed that many women do not work outside the home, and thus marriage is the deciding factor in a girl’s financial future.
Dowry Prohibition Act
Dowry is a social menace. It is considered a major contributor to violence against women in India. Some of the offences include physical violence, emotional abuse, and even murder. In India, the Dowry Prohibition Act came into effect on May 01, 1961. Despite this, dowry is still practised in the country. We all know that marriage is an important part of society, but one of the long-standing evils associated with marriage is dowry.
The Way Forward
The Dowry Prohibition Act is ineffective; the only way to eliminate dowry is to address its flaws. We can also see that the Act is frequently misused. An accountable and non-partisan law enforcement instrument should be the first step in this process. Along with establishing such systems, we can begin the process of determining how to enact laws that can be implemented with integrity. Our ongoing effort should be to persuade the government and other influential organisations to provide incentives that will increase the value of girls and women in the eyes of their families and communities. Women’s empowerment should begin with education so that they can compete for better jobs with men. If a woman believes that taking a portion of her parent’s wealth at the time of her marriage is a necessary investment for her future happiness, how can any law prevent such giving and taking? Increasing female labour force participation may be particularly effective in this regard.
Women-owned businesses should be taxed, and banks and credit unions should offer preferential soft loans to women starting micro businesses. These two simple measures are likely to have a domino effect, with families becoming interested in registering businesses and enterprises in the name of women.
Women’s status in the family and society will improve if a large proportion of them generate income and wealth. If they are not perceived as liabilities by their families, they are less likely to be forced to remain in abusive marriages. If daughters become valuable assets, their parents’ bargaining power in marriage negotiations will increase as well. When the majority of women own their own assets and earn independent incomes, the practice of dowry or groom price will begin to fade, and women will be far less likely to accept abuse and violence in marriage.