| by Julia Leslie |
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5. Can men be the victims of dowry? When I first came across this idea, I thought it extraordinary. In Bangalore, two letters to the Deccan Herald caught my eye, both written by men. The first, entitled "Harassment of Husbands", spoke of the victimization of innocent men by scheming wives who accuse them falsely of dowry-related harassment.31 The second, entitled "Unfair Dowry Act", complained bitterly that "many men are suffering at the hands of their wives", and added that such men "are afraid of the Dowry Act under which the already suffering husband has to undergo further suffering".32 On investigation, this is not as ludicrous as it may seem. Indeed, Madhu Kishwar told me not long ago that she was giving legal aid to a family who had been taken to court by just such a daughter-in-law.33
Another uncomfortable example is provided by Elisabeth Bumiller's study of Indian women. She begins on apparently firm ground, with government statistics: In 1987, the government released figures in Parliament that showed that the cases of registered dowry deaths nationwide numbered 999 in 1985, 1,319 in 1986 and 1,786 in 1987. These figures almost certainly do not reflect the actual number of dowry deaths in a country where most people do not report domestic violence. In India, violent deaths are common, but the dowry deaths are especially startling...".34 [This is a preview of the full page; if you are a member of the Asiatica Association and have access to the JSAWS, please login using the box on the left menu; non members: please become a member to support the Asiatica Association, and get full access to our publications.] |
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