For many women, violence and discrimination are social stratification and family structures. From the moment a girl is born into a lower-middle-class family, she is treated as a temporary member of her own home: a guest who will eventually be married off and leave. She is often told that her parents' home is temporary and that her "real" home will be that of her husband.

This thinking begins a lifetime of unequal treatment. A daughter may be considered less entitled to her parents' property than a son. Her education is treated as secondary, whereas learning how to become a "good wife" and caretaker of the household is considered her primary responsibility. Once married, her financial affairs may be placed entirely under the control of her husband and, in some cases, her in-laws. If she is fortunate, she may receive care and respect; if not, she can be subjected to neglect, humiliation and violence while being expected to continue caring for her husband, children and household.

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