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Article: How much is this bride's life worth? Her parents forked over cash and jewelry to the groom's family as dowry--but that may not be enough to keep her alive. Each year, as many as 7000 Indian brides are murdered by in-laws who decide that they haven't been paid enough. Abigail Haworth reports on this alarming practice--and the women who are fighting back.(investigation)
- Article from:
- Marie Claire
- Article date:
- May 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Hearst Communications, reprinted with permission of Hearst. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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BABITA DAVI, 24, steps gingerly around the rain-filled potholes on her street in Delhi, India, on her way to visit a friend who runs a bangle shop. "My friend has been badly beaten by her in-laws because she did not bring enough cash and gifts as dowry," Babita explains. "I am going to tell her how she can fight back." Babita is a member of the Center for Social Research (CSR), an activist group that campaigns against the tradition of dowry--and the torture, killings, and injustice that go with it.
She knows all about fighting back, having survived her own battle against dowry abuse. Like most Indian women, Babita had an arranged marriage. She was just 16, and as ...