Dowry Deaths

Dowry has been around since ancient times. This is an old concept and has been mentioned in history several times. Despite this being an ancient custom, dowries are still expected and demanded to accept a valid proposal during a wedding. It is commonly seen in parts of Asia and Northern Africa. There are many cases in which disputes related to dowry end in violence against women, including acid attacks and killings, leading to deaths known as Dowry deaths. The custom of dowry is prevalent and strong, and the husband’s family expects it. The Dowry system has been seen in Europe, Africa, Asia, and other countries. 

What are dowry deaths?

Dowry is a type of payment given by the bride’s family to the groom’s family in the form of property or money. This payment is given to the groom’s family at the time of the wedding. Most of the bride’s families offer a dowry to keep their daughter happy with their in-laws, but they do not realize that dowry can also cause harm to their children. 

Many disputes in dowry cases have resulted in violence against women, such as acid attacks and killings. Dowry deaths are married women forced to suicide or murdered by their husband’s family. The married woman is forced to drive to suicide by the continuous harassment and torture faced at the hands of the husband their in-laws over a dispute about the dowry. Dowry deaths are most commonly seen in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Iran. The dowry disputes make the in-law’s house the most dangerous place for the married woman. Dowry deaths are seen as one of the many categories of violence against women alongside bride burning, female genital mutilation, rape, eve-teasing, and acid throwing.

Steps Taken By the Government: Dowry death IPC

Central Government Act section 304B in the Indian Penal Code is commonly known as the Dowry death IPC. Section 304B states that when the death of the woman is caused by any burns or bodily harm that occurred in any other situations other than standard conditions within seven years of marriage and if proved that prior to her death, she was subjected to harassment or cruelty by husband or husband’s family in connection for a request for dowry such that can be called as dowry death and the relative of the husband shall be believed to have caused the death. And whoever caused the dowry death shall be penalized with imprisonment for a period which shall not be less than seven years and can extend to life imprisonment. Despite the steps taken by the Government of India to prevent dowry deaths, it is still commonly seen in the country. 

There is a dowry prohibition act of 1961 according to which any property or valuable security should not be given to the in-laws for a valid marriage proposal. Giving and taking of dowry are both considered offenses. These are a few initiatives taken by the government to keep women safe.

Dowry deaths in India 

Even though the Indian laws against dowry have been effective for decades, giving and taking dowry still exist. Many murders have continued to take place because of not giving dowry. There is the practice of dowry deaths, and many are still getting a blind eye in many parts of India. Some of the few types of dowry crimes are

Cruelty

The cruelty can be a form of verbal attacks or beating and force the women and a family to yield to dowry demands. In some cases, the harassment has forced women to commit suicide. 

Domestic violence

Domestic violence can consist of a broad spectrum of threatening and abusive behavior: emotional, physical, economic, and sexual violence. Most of the victims of dowry deaths in India are young women who cannot withstand the harassment and torture and commit suicide by consuming poison or hanging themselves. Dowry death is executed when the groom’s family is not satisfied with the dowry given by the bride’s family.

Dowry Death Cases 

According to the statistics from 1999 to 2018, dowry accounted for 40 to 50 % of the former size in the country. In 2019 7115 dowry death cases were reported in the country under section 304b of the Indian Penal Code. In 2020 the number of cases related to dowry deaths was 7000. In 2014, the amount was 8500. There has been a gradual decrease in dowry deaths.

Conclusion

Now we have reached the end of the article, and you must have an idea of dowry and the dowry deaths. A significant part of the country is illiterate, and they do not realize that dowry is indirectly causing trouble for their daughters in their in-law’s families. Because of systems and customs like these, girl children are killed during birth or orphaned. The girl child is seen as a burden to their families because someday they have to be married and sent off.