Hyderabad: While International Women’s Day focuses on celebrating and empowering women, it is troubling that some men are exploiting this empowerment in today’s social landscape. Recent complaints lodged with the State Women’s Commission reveal a disturbing trend: financially independent women who are capable of supporting themselves are being taken advantage of by men under the guise of friendship or romantic relationships.According to data from complaints filed with the commission over the past year, a total of 1,045 grievances were reported. Of these, a significant portion—553 cases—related specifically to domestic violence. Many of the incidents involved women facing abuse from family members, including their husbands.Of the total complaints received, around 345 cases were related to general harassment faced by women, including cheating.“Women who are employed or self-employed often seek emotional support. Some men, under the guise of encouraging their independence, get close to them. After some time, they begin borrowing money or ask women to invest funds with promises of good returns. Eventually, they end the relationship without returning the money or offering any explanation. Women need to be more careful,” sources in the Women’s Commission said.Addressing the issue, women’s activist A Suneetha highlighted a troubling pattern of women spending large sums on gold jewellery and luxury vehicles for men they trust. According to her, some men manipulate genuine friendships, drawing women in with charm and promises, only to later marry partners chosen by their families.In other cases, married women have also faced financial exploitation from their husbands. Some women repaid housing loans, yet the properties were registered solely in their husbands’ names. Over time, some husbands abandoned their wives, leaving them in precarious financial situations.Suneetha said it was crucial for women to take control of their finances and remain cautious in financial dealings, stressing that financial awareness and independence were key to protecting themselves from deceit and exploitation.
