Socio-Etiological Aspects of Dowry Deaths: An Autopsy based Study

Abstract

Violence affects lives of millions of woman worldwide in all societies. One of the most heinous and shocking forms among them is dowry death, is one among the various reasons for suicidal (i.e., abetted suicide) and homicidal deaths of women in India. The evil of dowry system is a matter of serious concern to everyone in view of its ever increasing and disturbing proportions. The present study was conducted in Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, S V Medical College, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, during the period January 2010 to December 2014, to evaluate the magnitude and study various socio-etiological factors of dowry deaths. The most common age group to be affected was 18–25 years with 84 cases (66.14%) and first three years of marital life were more prone to dowry deaths with 96 cases (75.59%). Burns was the cause of death in majority of cases 65 (51.18%) and majority of victims being less educated (85.03%) and unemployed (81.10%). Education of females, awareness about laws and strict and timely punishment of offenders will help in controlling dowry deaths.