Why this should happen in any society? After all it is a woman who gave birth and nourished to the men.
An old Tamil song roughly translates to "every child is good at birth, but it the way he is brought up by his mother that makes him good or bad" (entha kuzhanthayum nalla kuzhantha than mannil pirakkayile, avan nallavankathum theeyavanakathum annai valarthayile). So part of the blame naturally gets transferred to the woemn also. Instead of asking or giving "streedhanam, treat stree herself as the "dhanam". Ask the dowry seeker to get lost! (I will not give my daughter in marriage to a dowry seeker - let us all take such a stand)
