Bride burning is a prevalent issue in South Asia. It claims the lives of more than 8000 women a year in India alone. Bride burning is a form of domestic violence in which the husband or a family member of the husband will set the wife on fire in an attempt to kill her. This typically happens as a result of the family of the wife not fulfilling the ever growing requests of the dowry. But how can one of these horrid killings be justified by anyone if demanding a dowry in India is illegal?
Bride burning objectifies women. The motivation behind bride burning is that the bride’s family has not met the expectations of the dowry. This turns marriage into a force to increase material wealth and not the symbolic joining of two families together, which is the main traditional purpose behind an Indian wedding. The idea and practice of bride burning clearly identifies not only the issues with marriage in South Asia, but also the amount of freedom a woman would have in this part of the world.
Bride burning objectifies women. The motivation behind bride burning is that the bride’s family has not met the expectations of the dowry. This turns marriage into a force to increase material wealth and not the symbolic joining of two families together, which is the main traditional purpose behind an Indian wedding. The idea and practice of bride burning clearly identifies not only the issues with marriage in South Asia, but also the amount of freedom a woman would have in this part of the world.