ASIA/INDIA - Where to be born female is considered "a disaster "

Anantapur (Agenzia Fides) - Women living in India suffer abuse eight times higher than any other place in the world. Physical abuse in the country is seen as a "right of the husband" and almost half of the violence affect girls between 5and 10 years of age. Because of the dowry, between 25 and 100 thousand women are killed each year. On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Foundation Vicente Ferrer, born in India in 1969 with the aim of finding solutions to the serious problems of the rural community of Anantapur, highlights the serious situation that these women live in the country. According to information gathered by Fides Agency, to offer cash and jewelery to the groom's family is one of many "traditions" that promote violence in a male-dominated patriarchal Country, where man does not want to lose power. When the bride's family has no money, men harass the bride, often little more than a child, or even kill them, says the President of the foundation. Life for single women, divorced or orphan is even worse. In addition, when families are very numerous, girls are forced into prostitution and have to abort if they get pregnant. In recent decades 12 million selective abortions on the basis of sex have been recorded. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 07/03/2014)