Ritanya case

“I Can’t Bear This Torture… It Won’t Change.”

It was a lavish wedding:

– 300 sovereigns of gold

– Expensive Volvo SUV

Yet in July 2025, Rithanya from Tirupur ended her life after recording a desperate voice message to her father.

Not gold or a car could buy her peace, respect, or safety.

Because it was not only about the gifts but also about power and control.

What Does Dignity Cost in a Dowry Culture?

Dowry abuse often hides in wealth and respectability. Behind those well-lit wedding photos are:

– Psychological torment 

– In-law hostility

– Emotional neglect

After hearing the voice recording, it broke me, and not just with sorrow. But rage. 

This is not a rare case. It’s a pattern.

An epidemic of emotional violence that even successful women are quietly drowning in.

Why Didn’t She Leave?

– But what if she had tried?

– What if she reached out more than once?

– What if her family tried but believed the promises made behind closed doors?

– What if her silence wasn’t giving up but the result of being betrayed again and again, each time disguised as a promise of change?

The Mental Trap

– Learned helplessness and repeated emotional neglect make the brain stop searching for escape.

– Cognitive dissonance trap: Thoughts like “I’m educated and capable; how can I be stuck?” lead her to try harder and blame herself.

– Fear of judgment: Society often punishes women for leaving abusive marriages more than it condemns the abuse.

A Note to Today’s Women

You might be:

– Showing up to work, running meetings, and acting like everything is fine even when it’s not.

– Carrying the weight of family expectations

– Burning silently from within

Just know: your peace matters as much as your performance.

You don’t need permission to protect your inner world.

Your Turn!!!!!!

This is my view. 

Together I stand with women like Rithanya… brilliant, capable, and yet emotionally trapped by expectations.

But now I want to hear yours.

What can today’s women do to protect their mental health in emotionally unsafe spaces?

Drop a comment.

Share a strategy.

Or simply write, “I see her.”