Perspective Chapter: Social Aspects of Violence – Cultural Dowry Practices and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Pakistan

Abstract

Dowry is a transfer of materialistic goods or money from bride’s parents to bridegroom family at the time of marriage. However, as dowry demand rises, it has a significant detrimental impact on the lives of women. This chapter discusses the history of dowry and its practices, the positive and negative impact, and policy implications. The keywords used for this search were: “Dowry AND Pakistan,” “Pakistan culture AND Violence against women,” “social aspects AND Dowry practices,” and “Intimate-partner violence AND Pakistan.” To ensure that readers would receive valid information on the subject, authors searched from reliable engines. Dowry is a common tradition, particularly in South Asian countries. It is originated from Hindu culture, but later adopted and practiced by other Islamic and European-American nations. Though it provides an opportunity for women to get their share of pre-mortem inheritance from their parent’s property. However, it may be the leading cause of violence and abuse that poses an enormous burden on the brides. Violence prevention is achievable, but it requires efforts by the government, health institutions, and civil society. This is an additional contribution by the authors to raise awareness regarding “Dowry,” which is one of the preventable predictors of violence.

Exploring patterns of intimate partner violence during pregnancy through a descriptive lens

“…These findings are in line with those from a study conducted in Delhi, India, which reported a 21% prevalence of IPV among pregnant women [35]. The lower rates of reported IPV in Pakistan and its neighboring country, India, can be attributed to the cultural norms prevalent in these regions, which share similar attitudes that prevent women from reporting IPV [36,37,38]. This cultural influence could lead to data underreporting due to social stigma, fear of retribution, and a lack of support systems.…”

Legal Implications on Dowry System in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis

“…Although it fetches contentment as well as complications in one's life. But before entering into this contract there are some prerequisites, that include dowry in our Asian culture (Bhamani & Merchant, 2022). Dowry is, actually, a ritual in the event of marriage.…”