Deaths of young brides through suicide or homicide following disputes over the dowry (gifts given by the bride’s family to that of the groom during and after the marriage) are increasingly a feature of Indian society. Explanations of this social problem have been too heavily concentrated on the socio-cultural and psychological factors implicated and need to be supplemented by victimological and criminological concepts, drawn especially from routine activity and rational choice perspectives. A model incorporating these concepts within a traditional socio-cultural and psychological framework is presented. This more complete model of the phenomenon needs to be empirically verified, but in time may assist in developing a wider range of preventive strategies.
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