How the new dowry prohibition system in Kerala is proving a lifeline for many married women

While dowry prohibition officers across Kerala have been receiving a volley of calls in the last one-and-a-half months, around 26 cases were officially filed in which proceedings were initiated

From newly-weds to elderly women above 60, a number of married women in distress are reaching out to the dowry prohibition officers appointed in all districts following the death of Vismaya. While the officers across the State have been receiving a volley of calls in the last one-and-a-half months, around 26 cases were officially filed in which proceedings were initiated. "Most of the women who seek help are victims of emotional abuse and are not willing to lodge a complaint. While some want to resolve the issue without much hullabaloo and save their marriage, there are other cases with long histories. One of the women who filed a complaint got married in 1988," says an officer.