09 Sep 09 Mothers-in-law band together to fight ‘cruel’ stereotype

Written by Gulf Times

New Delhi : Hundreds of mothers-in-law have come together to form an organisation to fight harassment and abuse by their sons’ wives, news reports said yesterday. Between 500 and 700 women from across India launched the All-India Mothers-in-Law Protection Forum (AIMPF) in Bangalore on Sunday, local newspapers reported yesterday.
The organisation will be supported by the Save India Family Foundation, a non-governmental agency set up recently for husbands who allege harassment by their wives, the Times of India newspaper reported.
The new group will work to break the “cruel woman” stereotype reinforced by Indian TV soap operas and demand protection against torture and abuse by daughters-in-law.
AIMPF members include forensic experts, lawyers, doctors, teachers, other professionals and housewives.
“It has been statistically established that mothers-in-law are unnecessarily maligned and subjected to judgmental attitudes by society. On television, we are shown as vamps, while in reality we are the victims,” said coordinator Neena Dhulia.
“The image of the mother-in-law has been tarnished by feminists. It is compounded by step-motherly treatment by society and the judiciary. The mother-in-law is the one held responsible if a marriage doesn’t work,” she added.
The latest report of the National Family Health Survey shows that young women face more domestic violence from their own parents rather than in-laws.
According to the report, 13.7% women suffered violence from their own mothers, compared to the 1.7% tormented by their mothers-in-law.
The AIMPF will push for amendments to India’s inheritance and dowry prohibition laws and the Domestic Violence Act.
Its members have written to the country’s National Commission for Women and the police to accept complaints from mothers-in-law in the same spirit as those from daughters-in-law, the report said.
For many years, young brides in India have complained that they have been exploited and tortured mostly by their mothers-in-law for bringing inadequate dowry.
The Indian government banned giving and receiving dowries in 1961, but the practice continues and few arranged marriages take place without an exchange of dowry. – DPA

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