Twisha Sharma’s untimely death in Bhopal on May 12, following reported spousal abuse and dowry demands, is just one of several thousand such deaths reported annually in India. People often ask me (given my research on gender inequality issues): Why don’t even educated professional women leave abusive marriages? My answer is simple: Usually because they have nowhere to go.

A woman could potentially return to her parents, but most Indian parents encourage a daughter to “adjust” and view her return from a “failed marriage” as a blot. What about a shelter home for victims of domestic violence? Apart from inadequate numbers, these can, at best, provide temporary emergency refuge. The same goes for friends. A rental apartment can be expensive, would not be available immediately if you have to flee violence, and landlords are often suspicious of single women tenants. The one sure protection, however, can be owning an apartment, even a one-room studio flat.

My research with a colleague, Pradeep Panda, on spousal physical violence among ever-married women in 502 randomly selected rural and........

© Indian Express