Dowry Abuse and South Asian Populations in Australia: A Narrative of Project Findings

Dowry is a cultural practice where a person transfers money, property, goods, in the form of gifts to their partner's family before, upon or after marriage. Dowry abuse is an act of violence or abuse and threats, linked with giving or receiving dowry, any time before, during or after the marriage. The giving of dowry is a marriage custom prevalent in South Asian countries and becoming increasingly popular in Australia. The South Asian populations comprise of those originating from countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Although dowry is illegal in key South Asian countries, it remains a common practice. This project funded by City of Parramatta Council and Western Sydney University, aims to understand how to define and identify dowry abuse and address this type of domestic and family violence within the South Asian community of Western Sydney.