Why do these women continue to suffer???

Recently I came across a post by Meenakshi Reddy on her blog 'The Compulsive Confessor'. The issue discussed was not something uncommon. In fact, it seems like most of us are no longer interested in such episodes since that's what all newspapers regularly serve us these days. But when I read about the first-hand experience of a lady who suffered extreme cruelties from her husband, I got thinking about how much such women really suffer in silence just because they are more concrend about their family's reputation or their childern rather than their own happiness. Do check out this post here.

I never understood why such women suffer so much when they have an easy way out - divorce. But this post offered so much insight into how a divorce procedure is easier said than done. I always wondered - even if for the sake of their children - isn't there a limit on how much physical and mental anguish a woman can bear?

There is a woman in my family - I will call her Meena here. She was a typical village girl from one of the most rural areas in Kerala - not very educated, not employed and no knowledge of the bad world outside her home. Meena's family married her off amidst great pomp and celebration. The guy was employed in the gulf. A month after marriage the guy flew back to gulf. Meena was pregnant by now. The guy did not phone her even once for the next 7 years. He never gave an explanation.

Everybody advised her to proceed with a divorce and get remarried. But Meena refused. She remained hopeful that her husband would come back for her one day. Unable to watch her leading a pitiable life with a 7 year old son, her parents contacted the Indian embassy and filed a compliant against the guy. A few months later, the guy was forced to fly down for compromise talks.

He didn't seem to enthusiastic to reclaim his wife and son. But when the elders decided that was the way to go, he simply nodded. A few months later, he again flew back. This time he kept phoning once in a while to make sure nobody again accused him of abandoning his family. This went for for almost an year. Then rumors spread that the guy had a Pakistani girlfriend living with him in the Gulf. The rumors turned out to be true. Due to pressure from his family, he again flew down to Kerala. Everyone again tried to convince Meena that she had no future with that guy. But she maintained that she would face anything for the sake of her son. She went back to live with him.

Now this guy was furious at being separated from his girlfriend. He simply sat at home all day long, never looked for another job. Meena sold all her jewellery to run the house. She turned to her parents when her kid had nothing to eat. But she still remained stubbornly attached to her husband.

He continued to threaten Meena that he would make her suffer so much that she would go back on her own. Slowly the threatenings began to materialize. He started abusing her physically. One night, she arrived at her parents house - all black and blue and bruised. The guy had attacked her inhumanly. Now everyone agreed this was the limit. This time, the elders took charge - they did not wait for an opinion from Meena. They decided to proceed with a divorce.

After 10 days, Menna's husband arrived at her house with a few friends. While he remained silent all the while, his friends tried to justify the guy's actions. Meena's parents refused to accept all that. They showed him the way out. And there it was - Meena was all ready with her luggage to return home with her husband. She refused to listen to anyone.

Even today, the guy sits around, watches cricket and expects Meena to compel her father to pay for her household too. The abuse also continues. Although her family will always be there to help her out, they know it is futile to keep worrying. Unless Meena is really aware of how serious her situation is, she is never going to get out of that hell. She still expects that the guy will develop affection for her and will care for her too.

In the meanwhile, the guy has hinted to Meena's father that the next time he attacks her, Meena will will not be alive to tell the story.

God, why do these women continue to suffer? Who will make them understand that life is too precious to be wasted like this? Who will convince them that some savage men are never going to change? Who will tell them to get out before it's too late?