NEW DELHI, India - One woman dies every hour in India because of dowry-related
crimes, indicating that the country's economic boom has made demands for
dowries even more persistent, women's rights activists say.
The National Crime Records Bureau
says 8233 women were killed across India last year because of disputes over
dowry payments given by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the
time of marriage.
Dowry demands often continue for
years after the wedding.
The conviction rate in dowry-related
crimes remained a low 32 per cent, according to statistics the bureau published
last week.
Indian law prohibits the giving or
receiving of a dowry, however the centuries-old social custom persists. Dowry demands often continue for years after the wedding.
Each year, thousands of young Indian
women are doused with petrol and burned to death because the groom or his
family felt the dowry was inadequate.
Women's rights activists and police
said that loopholes in dowry prevention laws, delays in prosecution and low
conviction rates have led to a steady rise in dowry-related crimes.
Dowry demands have become even more
insistent and expensive following India's economic boom, Ranjana Kumari, a
women's rights activist, said.
She blamed a growing culture of
greed as India opens its economy to foreign goods that the younger generation
cannot afford, but badly want.
- Marriages have become commercialized. It's like a business proposition where the groom and his family make exorbitant demands and the wealthier the family, the more outrageous the demands, Ms Kumari said.
- Suman Nalwa, a senior New Delhi police officer dealing with crimes against women, said dowry practices extended to all classes in society.
- Even highly educated people don't say no to dowry, she said.
Post a Comment