This report examines the prevalence of dowry-related domestic violence in India, utilizing recent criminal cases and national statistical data to illustrate the systemic nature of the crisis.

本報告利用近期刑事案件與國家統計數據，分析印度嫁妝相關家庭暴力的普遍程度，以說明此危機的系統性本質。

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) identifies 'cruelty by husband and relatives' as the most frequent category of crime against women in India, with over 1.2 lakh cases registered annually. This phenomenon is underpinned by a socio-economic framework wherein marriage is conceptualized as a financial transaction. The resulting structural imbalance facilitates the transfer of control over a woman's autonomy from paternal to marital guardians, often normalizing psychological and physical coercion. This systemic conditioning persists regardless of a woman's educational attainment or economic independence, as social imperatives prioritize the preservation of marital stability over individual safety.

國家犯罪紀錄局 (NCRB) 指出，「丈夫與親屬的虐待」是印度針對女性最常見的犯罪類別，每年登記案件超過 12 萬件。此現象是由於一種社會經濟框架所驅動，將婚姻視為一種金錢交易。由此產生的結構性失衡，促使女性的自主權從父親轉移至婚姻監護人手中，往往使心理與身體上的強迫行為正常化。無論女性的教育程度或經濟獨立程度如何，這種系統性制約依然存在，因為社會壓力將維持婚姻穩定置於個人安全之上。

Recent fatalities exemplify these systemic failures. In Bhopal, the death of Twisha Sharma, a former actor and beauty pageant winner, has precipitated a legal and social impasse. While the Bhopal Police Commissioner suggests the evidence indicates suicide, the deceased's family alleges dowry harassment and investigative negligence, citing a three-day delay in filing the First Information Report (FIR) and the absence of the ligature during the initial autopsy. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has intervened suo motu, demanding a transparent investigation. Concurrently, a Judicial Magistrate First Class ordered the preservation of the body but denied a request for a second autopsy at AIIMS Delhi, despite allegations that the mother-in-law's familial connections to a local surgeon could compromise the integrity of the probe.

近期的死亡個案體現了這些系統性失效。在博帕爾，前演員兼選美冠軍 Twisha Sharma 的死亡引發了法律與社會的僵局。雖然博帕爾警察局長表示證據指向自殺，但死者家屬指控其為嫁妝騷擾及調查疏忽，理由是提交第一份資訊報告 (FIR) 延遲了三天，且初步驗屍時缺乏勒頸物。國家婦女委員會 (NCW) 已主動介入，要求進行透明調查。與此同時，一名一級司法地方法官下令保留屍體，但拒絕了在德里 AIIMS 進行第二次驗屍的要求，儘管有指控稱婆婆與當地外科醫生有親屬關係，可能損害調查的公正性。

Further incidents in Noida underscore the volatility of these domestic environments. The death of Deepika Nagar, a B.Ed graduate, followed allegations of a ₹50 lakh dowry demand; police have since arrested her husband and father-in-law. Similarly, in Delhi's Inderpuri area, a 25-year-old woman's death from a building fall led to the registration of a dowry death case against her husband and brothers-in-law. These occurrences suggest that urban centers and educated demographics are not immune to these traditional patriarchal structures, which adapt to modern settings while maintaining coercive mechanisms.

諾伊達發生的其他事件進一步凸顯了這些家庭環境的不穩定性。教育學學士 Deepika Nagar 在被指要求 500 萬盧比嫁妝後死亡；警方隨後逮捕了她的丈夫與公公。同樣地，在德里的 Inderpuri 地區，一名 25 歲女性由建築物墜落死亡，導致警方對其丈夫與小叔/大伯提起嫁妝死亡案。這些事件表明，城市中心與高教育族群也無法倖免於這些傳統父權結構，這些結構在適應現代環境的同時，依然維持著強迫機制。

The current situation reflects a persistent gap between anti-dowry legislation and its practical enforcement, as social stigma and institutional apathy continue to obstruct the pursuit of justice for victims.

目前的情況反映了反嫁妝立法與實際執行之間存在持續的差距，因為社會汙名與制度上的冷漠，持續阻礙著受害者對正義的追求。