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Female Killings and Abortion in India

Female Killings and Abortion in India

Female Killings and Abortion in IndiaWomen are observed as slavish because of their role as homemakers whereas men primarily ensure the family’s communal and economic strength. In India, killing female children has predominantly increased over few decades and sex ratio of males to females has dropped down to 8000:1000. Girls are treated unequally in the society and they are killed even before they are born.

There are a number of factors involved in female femicide but the most common reason is that parents think of them as a burden on the family. They have to invest a huge amount in future for dowry. While sons are seen as the security to their families who can perform rites for the souls of their dead parents and ancestors, daughters are observed as an economic and social burden.

Technology that can be used to determine the sex of a child before birth has played a role in increasing the rate of abortion among females. According to the law, it is an offense, yet it is increasing day by day. It is crime to abort a child in India only if the fetus is female. Strict laws and fines are imposed on violators. These laws have not yet been implemented in a way that can control this inhumane act.

There are a number of reasons for which baby girls are killed. Some of the reasons are discussed below.

 

Potential Income

In many societies across sub-continent, parents are dependent on children after they reach old age. However, as far girls are concerned, they have to leave parents and live with husband after marrying. As consequences, the parents having a son gains security, extra resources and a helping hand support them. This gives parents with a strong reason to prefer male instead of female. People with large family cannot afford to support them, resulting in killing females. Girls are considered a burden on family during their childhood as well as when they reach puberty.

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Dowry

Some baby girls are killed so that the family does not have to pay for the dowry when they get married. In India, it is a tradition for parents of the bride to give valuable items in the form of dowry. Otherwise, the girl has to suffer hardships in the new family. Some people even kill their daughter in law, if her parents could not facilitate them with valuable goods. For families with number of daughters, it is really a big financial burden. Numerous deaths have been observed during the period between 2007 and 2011. According to a report, 8093 women were killed during 2008 and 2009. Pravartika Gupta is one such case who was burnt to death when she was sleeping with her one-year-old daughter. In-laws threatened her continuously because her family was not able to speed up the schedule of dowry payments.

Caste and Honor Killing

Some of the people in India think of a girl as a blot on their caste while others think that they will be a misery to families. Most of the people kill their wives as well after they deliver the girl. This is because of perception that women are responsible for bearing a girl instead of a boy. In September 2013, the police arrested a sub inspector who was connected to the killing of 19 years old girl from Panjpat. A girl name Meenakshi eloped with her lover and was tracked down later. The police handed the girl to her family, who then killed the girl brutally. In Bhopal November, 2013 the court declared a life term for 10 men in a case of honor killing. A 15-year-old Muslim Girl of Muzzafarnagar hid herself in the house of her uncle to protect herself from her family who wanted her dead for having an affair. Unfortunately, her uncle killed and buried her in Haryana District.

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