Migrant men abusing wives to extort more dowry money from families, Legal Services Commission says

MIGRANT men are abusing their wives to extort more dowry money, the Legal Services Commission has warned.

MIGRANT men are abusing their wives to extort more dowry money, the Legal Services Commission has warned.

A dowry can be property or money the bride’s family gives to the husband upon marriage.

The practice is common in countries including India and Pakistan, but also in the Middle East.

The commission says in South Australia there are an increasing number of young migrant women reporting dowry-related abuse.

In one example, an Indian woman’s mother gave a $60,000 dowry, before the woman went to join her husband in Australia.

She needed to pay fees to update her qualifications before starting a job, but the husband said she would have to get more money from her mother, started abusing her, and eventually threw her out of the home.

“Typically, the abuse takes the form of further financial demands on the bride’s family from the groom, the refusal to allow the woman access to the dowry funds, and physical violence,” the commission states in a submission to a parliamentary inquiry.

“The commission has encountered an increasing number of young migrant women with dowry-related abuse through our advice service.

“These women were overwhelmed by their circumstances, compounded by the fact that they were new migrants to the country. As new migrants, they faced various issues including a language barrier and lack of knowledge of the local laws and the Australian mainstream culture and social norms.”

The commission’s submission was to an inquiry into a better family law system to support and protect those affected by family violence.

They have found domestic or family violence is prevalent in the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community, comprising more than 40 per cent of the women seeking legal advice and about 35 per cent of the men.

The commission wants to see the Family Law Act recognise “dowry, bridge price, female genital mutilation, forced and early marriages and other harmful cultural and traditional practices” as family violence. It wants more education, support and protection for victims, who often fear being deported.

The commission is also calling for SA’s Women’s Safety Services model to be considered nationally, that a dowry be included in property settlement even if it happens overseas.

The inquiry has been tasked with working out how to better protect and support people affected by family violence. Submissions have now closed but the inquiry is still accepting community statements and will have an online questionnaire available until August 31. The committee will report to the Federal Government after that.

Other submissions have noted there are specific issues with CALD communities, where people are less likely to understand or accept Australian laws and cultural expectations.

Need help? Call 1800 RESPECT National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service: 1800 737 732