Socio-Cultural Factors of Marriage & Suicide Behaviour in India with Special Reference to Dowry Deaths

This summary focuses on marriage, impotence, fertility, domestic violence & alcohol as causes of suicide. Arranged marriages & the cultural stress on the sanctity of marriage are important factors. A type of domestic violence peculiar to India is the death of young married girls by murder or suicide. In 1985, there were 837 of these dowry deaths. Because alcoholism is common, wives not infrequently resort to suicidal behavior to counter the resulting violence & accusations ofinfidelity. (GW)