Since 2015, more than 11,000 women married to Indians abroad have approached India’s foreign missions with complaints of domestic crises. Many cases involve allegations of fraud and abuse. But in most instances, overseas officials are able to do only so much to help.

Actor Smriti Kalra visited the Rajya Sabha and new Parliament in Delhi to celebrate the passing of Women Reservation Bill, and she calls it a moment of pride and honour. “It has been a long journey since 1996, when the bill was first presented and it was passed after several attempts.

Violence against women is legitimized by social norms, beliefs and institutions.

It was the tragic death by suicide that has laid bare the daily trauma of the three sisters from a landless household married to an affluent family with demands for dowry from impoverished parents.