Taken: How Marriage Becomes a Woman's Social Shield in India

I had to catch a flight once at 6 a.m. I came out of the house at 4 a.m. and it was dark. A man started following me; I went back to my house and I missed my flight. The next day I booked the same flight. But I stayed at my male friend's house, and he dropped me off. I need a man"—this wasn't an abla nari speaking but an empowered and financially independent woman. Yes, this is someone with a voice. We are talking about acclaimed actor Neena Gupta.

- Namrata Kohli

This stark anecdote wasn't about romance—it was about basic safety and the instinctive reliance on male presence when public spaces feel unsafe. Neena's words cut through idealism to highlight a hard truth faced daily by many Indian women.

In India, safety is often not a right—it's a status symbol. And marriage? That's the ultimate credential.

Whether consciously or not, society treats married women as being in a "safe zone." You're no longer considered available. You're taken. That word does more than define your relationship—it protects your boundaries. Once married, society tends to back off—literally and figuratively. You're "taken," and that label alone becomes your strongest armor.

It's not just about romantic interest or flirtation. It's about how you're treated everywhere—by the electrician who visits your home, the grocery store guy who insists on chatting a bit too long, the neighbor who stares too freely, or the uncle ji whose eyes linger a little too much. There's an unspoken line they dare not cross when you're someone's wife.

But step outside that role—become widowed, divorced, or simply choose to remain single—and that shield dissolves. Suddenly, you're "available." You may not be saying anything with your words, but society projects all kinds of stories onto your silences. A single woman must have a need, a desire, a vulnerability that's up for discussion, analysis—or exploitation.