Dowry Death Analysis

Register to read the introduction… Violent relationships, otherwise known as domestic violence, were once kept quiet and viewed as a private family matter. However, abuse is a very common problem today. Domestic violence is a form of violence that occurs between individuals that live in the same home. Domestic violence is one of the leading forms of violence. “Rising Number of Dowry Deaths in India” emphasizes issues of domestic violence in India. The phrase “bride burning” and “dowry death” evokes up images of a harsh husband and his family members mocking and distressing the young woman for money and finally drenching a young woman in kerosene, tossing a lighted matchstick on her and rejoicing as the unfortunate woman goes up in flames. In “Rising Number of Dowry Deaths,” Amanda Hitchcock explains that most brides are murdered because their families cannot pay the large dowry-a payment made to the woman’s in-laws upon her engagement or marriage. She talks about the accounts of many dowry-related deaths that take place in India every year. According to Indian tradition, a bride brings dowry in form of money and/or goods to her new husband. However, some husbands harass their new wives and torture in order to obtain more dowry and luxury …show more content…
Dowry death is a form of domestic violence that tragically plagues India. Dowry deaths may be a brutal practice involving a woman being killed by her husband or in-laws because her family is unable to meet their demands for her dowry but in their culture, this may be the norm. It is common for dowries to exceed a family’s annual income. There may be no way out of this system because it is ingrained into Indian culture but now that cultures are being integrated, the dowry system is not highly implemented. Marriage is connecting two people and their family but why should dowry come in between them. I don't understand why the husband’s family knows that the wife’s family is not able to give more dowry but they still will demand more. If they wanted a large dowry, why go to a family that will not be able to pay? I believe if the women furthered their education and careers, they would not have to rely on their husbands to support them. Maybe then the dowry system will be …show more content…
In every country, women are hesitant to report abuse because she does not want the abuser to retaliate against them or their families. But in India there is a twist; if the woman seeks help from the police, a member of the woman’s family will be put on trial for criminal activities and possibly incarcerated. Traditional South Asian cultural values emphasizing "loss of face" because they are ashamed of the abuse and they feel that the disclosure would shame themselves and their family. Most dowry deaths were not written up as domestic abuse but as either ‘suicide’ or an ‘accident’ by the police. The in-laws claim the death was an accident when clearly the victim was drenched in kerosene but when foul play is too conspicuous to ignore, the death is written up as suicide because the wife could not adjust to new family