Atrocities against women

Yesterday I watched a TV news where an engineer woman was killed by her doctor husband. She was bundled into a suitcase and thrown into a river. The  doctor was asking for dowry.

 For how long will such atrocities against women continue? We often tend to believe that atrocities occur only in uneducated families. But, this incident shows that these cases are happening in educated families as well. 

Women are tortured by their in-laws for not bringing adequate dowry, not producing a male child, not doing a house hold work. In some houses the bride is treated not as a Bahu of the family but a maidservant. The irony of the situation is that these days even a maidservant will not listen to unreasonable demands, and leave the work the very next day if you dare to say something to her.

In our society a girl child is considered a Paraya Dhan. Once she is married we feel that our responsibility is over and now the girl should  adjust within the new family. Sometimes girls are not allowed to talk or meet their parents. It is understood by the boy’s side that the girl should sever all ties from her parents and focus on her new family. They take the girl as their private property or as a maid they have purchased who is supposed to follow instructions without opening her mouth. In some houses even the dress the girl is supposed to wear is decided by her in-laws.  We must understand one thing that a daughter will always remain a daughter. She will always be attached to her parents. It  is not possible to make her yours  by cutting her off  from her family. In her new family she needs lots of love and affection from her in-laws. She needs  co-operation, understanding, protection, security and love from her husband, in order to make her feel that this new family is hers and they are concerned  about her well being. 

We must give our daughters  good education so that they can handle such situations bravely.  Although the  law against domestic violence passed in 2005 has brought a change but not many girls are aware of their rights after marriage. Atrocities against women is the burning topic which cannot be ignored. We must understand that a girl has her own mind, her likes and dislikes. She is an individual and would like to live her life without unreasonable restrictions. She should not feel caged after marriage. I feel that “Rights of women” as a subject  should be taught to girls in the school. This will make them aware of their rights and also give them strength to fight such atrocities. A girl’s parents should also give her  support if she is having a problem in her marriage. It is not right to say that once a girl is married  her parents lose all rights over her. If a girl is not happy in her new family then her parents have all the right to question a groom’s  family.