Dowry Death Cases In India
Dowry (dahej) is a gift given to the groom at the time of marriage in the form of either cash or things, or sometimes both. According to Indian tradition, the presents given by the bride's side before the commencement of the nuptials will enable the married couple set up and start their home smoothly.
In the 12th century, the Normans established the dowry system. Previously, the dowry was given as a gift by the husband at the church gate prior to the start of the ceremony to display the public.
In India, the dowry system dates back to the Vedic period, when a present in cash or in any other form was given to the bride by her family to ensure and preserve her independence after marriage, and this was known as "Sri Dhan."
Also Read: Property rights of women in India
During colonial times, the British made it the only legal means to marry by making dowry compulsory for marriage. The fundamental reason that the tradition of asking for a dowry is gaining traction in modern times is the groom's family's uneasiness about maintaining their reputation; the bigger the dowry, the higher the reputation is deemed. This mental process is prevalent in 90% of Indian households; only a few urban locations are devoid of these behaviors.
Dowry Death: A Legal Perspective: In 1986, Section 304 B of the Indian penal code stated the offense of dowry death in India, which is more stringent than Section 498A, which declares cruelty. Most sections of the country practice taking dowry at the time of marriage or as an advance to settle the marriage, and if the requested amount or items are not obtained during the ceremony, the marriage will not take place, and the groom and his family will refuse to accept the bride as his wife.
The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 makes dowry demand illegal. As a result, the "Dowry Prohibition Act," section 304 B of the Indian penal code, and section 498 A of the Indian penal code all prohibit the practice of dowry. Failure to pay dowry results in a variety of crimes against women, including physical violence, burning the woman, and mental torture.
Dowry Deaths in Different States of India: The National Crime Records Bureau in India reported about 7,000 dowry-related deaths in 2020, or roughly 19 women per day. According to the same source, more than 1,700 women committed suicide that year owing to dowry-related issues. In recent years, women have seen an increase in crime (crime against women has seen a 69% decadal increase). The kid sex ratio, on the other hand, has dropped dramatically and is now at its lowest point since independence (914 per 1,000 men).
In the 1951 Census, the child sex ratio was 983. Dowry-related incidents killed 63,171 women between 2005 and 2012, amounting to approximately 7,896 deaths each year, 658 per month, and 22 per day. In India, one woman is killed every hour as a result of dowry-related violence.
Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of dowry-related deaths, followed by Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Dowry deaths have grown in all of these states throughout the years. Every year, the overall figures in India have climbed. With 12,254 deaths, Uttar Pradesh tops the list, followed by Bihar (7,136 deaths) and Madhya Pradesh (with 4,800 deaths).
According to a per-capita estimate of the same data, MP is the worst-affected state, with 25.4 documented dowry fatalities per million women in the state. Bihar was second with 25.2 dowry fatalities per million women, while Uttar Pradesh was third with 23. Dowry deaths in India were 8,473 in 2011, decreased to 8,092 in 2012, and now average about 8,000 per year.
Because data on child sex ratios is only available until 2011, numbers for dowry fatalities in 2011 and 2012 have been excluded from the table. When these deaths are added to those that happened between 2005 and 2010, the total number of dowry deaths is 63,171. As a result, India has lost 9,000 women on average during the last seven years. Contrary to popular misconception, neither Punjab nor Haryana are included in the list.
It should be emphasized that the number of dowry deaths is also influenced by population figures. The population of the North-Eastern states is lower than that of major states such as UP, Bihar, and MP. Dowry's prominence and dropping child sex ratio can be linked back to parents' concerns about a girl child being a liability until marriage and the opposite belief that a boy would take care of them, earn a living, and so on.
The three poorest states—Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh—are collectively responsible for an approximately 15-point drop in the child sex ratio. It's worth noting that youngster sex ratios have risen in the majority of states with fewer than one dowry mortality per day during the last five years.
Punjab and Haryana's patriarchal cultures have done an excellent job of increasing the child sex ratio and minimizing dowry mortality. In this data stacking technique, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir are outliers since the states have not documented dowry fatalities despite having a lower child sex ratio.
Overall, dowry fatalities are increasing in the majority of Indian states. The child sex ratio, which has been decreasing over time—from 962 in 1981 to 945 in 1991 to 927 in 2001--is now 914. A quick calculation reveals that there are 16 fewer girls than boys in every Census due to the dowry deaths of about 80,000 persons (8,000 each year) (an average drop between 1981 to 2011). It's worth noting that there were 6,851 dowry fatalities in total in 2001, with a child sex ratio of 927.
The child sex ratio fell by 13 points as dowry deaths increased to 8,473 in 2011 (a 23% decadal increase).
As a result, women in both rural and urban areas are becoming more educated, employed, and empowered. Increased dowry deaths, which alter the child sex ratio, are, however, alarming if not addressed immediately. Laws prohibiting abortion and dowry, as well as coordinated government activities, do not appear to be having the desired effect. Evidently, even strict rules are insufficient to change people's attitudes about women.
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