An online game in India called “Angry Brides” which wages war on dowry and seeks to highlight the problem of illegal dowry demands has attracted more than 272,000 fans.
The game by online matchmaker Shaadi.com — inspired by the hugely popular “Angry Birds” game — sees players attack prospective grooms greedy for dowry with a variety of weapons, from a brick-red stiletto to a broomstick.
The three grooms — an engineer, a doctor and a pilot — dodge the attacks while demanding dowries starting at 1.5 million rupees (NT$898,000). Each time a player hits a groom, he or she wins money towards a virtual anti-dowry fund.
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
The game, available as a free application on Facebook, has already attracted more than 272,000 “likes.”
Paying and accepting a dowry in India has been illegal since 1961, but the centuries-old tradition of the bride’s parents presenting gifts of cash, clothes, jewellery and even appliances to the groom’s family remains strong.
Demands for dowry often persist well past the wedding ceremonies, and in the worst cases brides are tortured and even murdered if they or their parents do not comply.
(AFP)
Photo: Taipei Times
照片：台北時報
印度一款名為「憤怒新娘」的線上遊戲，旨在向嫁妝陋習宣戰並凸顯非法索取嫁妝帶來的問題，吸引了逾二十七萬兩千名粉絲。
這款遊戲由婚友網站Shaadi.com推出，靈感來自廣受歡迎的「憤怒鳥」遊戲，玩家可使用從磚紅色細高跟鞋到帚柄等各式武器來攻擊貪求嫁妝的準新郎。
遊戲中的三位新郎分別是工程師、醫生和飛行員。他們一邊索求一百五十萬盧比（新台幣八十九萬八千元）起跳的嫁妝，一邊躲避著玩家的進攻。玩家每擊中新郎一次，他或她就會贏得一筆虛擬的反嫁妝資金。
這款遊戲在臉書上是一款免費應用程式，已吸引了超過二十七萬兩千人按「讚」。
從一九六一年至今，收送嫁妝在印度都是違法的，但是新娘的父母向新郎家庭贈送現金、衣服、珠寶甚至器具等禮物的傳統已有幾世紀之久，至今依然盛行。
索取嫁妝的情況就算在婚禮後也揮之不去，在最壞的情況下，如果新娘或她們的父母不給嫁妝，新娘就會受到折磨甚至被謀殺。
（法新社／翻譯：陳成良）
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