Marriage in India Is Changing: What the Data Reveals About Trust, Safety and Verification

Marriage is often treated as a meeting of two people and two families. In practice, it is also a major decision about identity, money, work, family expectations, personal safety and long-term responsibilities. As more introductions begin online or through extended networks, trust needs more than a convincing profile or a reassuring conversation. It needs time, consistency and evidence.

Official figures from the police, Parliament and the courts highlight serious risks around marriage in India. They do not show that every marriage is unsafe, or that marriage itself is failing. They do show why families and couples should take claims seriously, discuss difficult topics early and check important facts lawfully and with consent.

What the official figures say

In 2024, police across India registered 1,20,227 cases of cruelty by a husband or his relatives, about 329 a day, according to the National Crime Records Bureau's Crime in India 2024. It was the largest single category of crimes against women that year.

The same NCRB data recorded 5,737 dowry deaths in 2024, roughly 16 a day, and 12,343 cases under the Dowry Prohibition Act (The Wire's summary of the NCRB figures). Dowry is not a harmless custom. Demanding it is an offence.

Money is the other pressure point. Citizens lost ₹22,845.73 crore to cyber fraud in 2024, up from ₹7,465.18 crore in 2023, the Home Ministry told the Lok Sabha (IANS report). These totals cover all cyber fraud. They are not broken down by matrimonial sites, so they cannot tell us how much was lost through marriage scams.

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,000

2,290.24

7,465.18

22,845.73

202220232024

Source: Ministry of Home Affairs reply in the Lok Sabha, reported by IANS. Covers all cyber fraud, not only matrimonial scams

Show data table

Year	₹ crore
2022	2,290.24
2023	7,465.18
2024	22,845.73

Family courts are also busier. They received more than eight lakh new cases in 2023, according to a Lok Sabha answer on family courts. These are family-court cases of all kinds, not only divorces.

What these numbers do and do not mean

Registered cases are not a count of every incident. Many cases are never reported, and a rise or fall in registrations can reflect reporting as much as reality. Court filings show caseloads, not the reasons a relationship broke down.

So the figures are a reason for care, not fear. They do not tell you anything about the person you are meeting. They tell you that skipping difficult questions has real costs for some families.

Where marriage decisions need to change

The lesson is not to approach every prospective partner with suspicion. It is to replace avoidable assumptions with respectful conversations and proportionate checks. A person can be sincere and still have very different expectations about career, children, money, caregiving, location or living with parents.

• Check that names, age and other material claims are consistent across documents shared voluntarily.
• Discuss employment, qualifications, income, existing loans and financial responsibilities, without demanding access to private accounts.
• Ask directly about children, work after marriage, household responsibilities, location, family involvement and how disagreements are handled.
• Take time to meet through trusted channels. Treat pressure for secrecy, a rushed commitment, money transfers or investment offers as a reason to slow down.
• If a concern involves abuse, coercion, threats or fraud, put safety first and seek professional or official help rather than investigating alone.

Where a verification service fits

Some families check claims themselves, some ask a lawyer or use official portals, and some use a consent-based verification service. Milne Se Pehle is one such service (see our disclosure). Depending on the service, the law and the records available, a check can cover identity, education, employment, address, references and relevant financial liabilities.

A verification report is one input, not a verdict. It cannot predict compatibility, guarantee safety or prove that someone will never commit fraud or abuse. Used responsibly, it needs consent, careful handling of personal data and a fair chance for the other person to explain any mismatch.

The bottom line

Marriage preparation should include both emotional compatibility and sensible due diligence. Before saying yes, ask not only "Do we like each other?" but also "Have we discussed the decisions that will shape our life together, and have we checked the important facts we are relying on?" That is informed trust, not blind trust.

Read our complete guide on how to verify someone before marriage, the questions to ask before marriage, and how to verify a marriage prospect.