THE PRACTICE OF DOWRY AND ITS RELATED VIOLENCE IN DISTRICT SWAT

Abstract

This study aimed at finding the association of dowry practices in Pakhtun culture (dependent variable) with violence (independent variable). The study was conducted in three villages of District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A sample size of 331 respondents was selected through simple random sampling. Data was collected on a three level likert scale interview schedule. The association of study variables was tested by using chi-square test statistics. The association of dowry practices in Pakhtun culture was found significant with dowry is the marriage phenomenon (p=0.000), bride is often physically admonished when she did not bring dowry to her groom family in the marriage and dowry practices in pakhtun culture. (p=0.000), bride mentally tortured for not accompanying the dowry along herself in the marriage(p=0.000), tussle between the marrying families is imminent in case of low or no dowry from the bride (p=0.000), continuous fighting between the marrying families couple leads to separation (p=0.000), consistence quarrels and infighting usually ends at divorce (p=0.000),women with low or no dowry are seldom accepted as wife in-laws in the in-laws home(p=0.000), low dowry usually takes the married women to set in their fathers home due to least respect in the in-laws home (p=0.000), due to fear of threats from groom the bride’s family is compelled to give dowry on desired date and dowry practices in pakhtun culture.
Keywords: Dowry, Culture, Violence, Practice