Dravidian culture was well flourished resulted to trading created urban development. Trading and to protect traders and their trade (soldiers) were done by males. Equality between woman and men were almost justified with some restrictions on women that were to protect them and their integrity. This also implied to males as for example in revenge sisters assault RAVANA took SITA away from RAM to his kingdom but did not dare to force her as all scripts say SITA did not have adultery during the captive. Involvement in society was normal as of men. Women were free to choose their mates one of the examples is that SAROOPNAKHA who offered her love to ARYAN (MAHAPURUSH) RAM who directed her to his younger brother LAKSHMAN.
There Aryan and Dravidian culture clashed and LAKSHMAN chopped her nose considering she being shameless. Dravidians were sociable and less aggressive people than others and women enjoyed much greater freedom than Aryan women.
Around 1700BC their civilization started disappearing when tribes from Iran (ARYANS) came through Caspian sea and invaded Indus and destroyed HARP and MOHENJO-DARO then started conquering, India and pushed Dravidians to south of India and many were made slaves (shudra). Aryans were totally against the woman dominance in the society. Vedic age began when Aryans dominated its presence in Asia. Vedic scripts are normally known as law and rules of life, which are highly useful to study nature, earth and living but had some weak points too.
Vedic age considered women and girl child as desecrated. Inscription from Vedas suggests, The friendship of women does not last long. Their nature is like that of hyena [Rig Veda 10-95-10] [Periyar], No birth is worse than the birth of a woman. Women are the root cause of all evils [Periyar citing the Dharma Shashtras], the males must keep Day and night women in dependence, and if they attach themselves to sensual enjoyments, they must be kept under ones control [manu.9.2]
these are the few inscriptions I quote from what I read in one of the books, these clearly indicate the attitude of Aryans towards women. During Aryan culture women who lived within home and family were considered respectable and pride of the family. But men had right to keep non-wives and woman slaves (low caste) for sexual use. Right to education was scrapped.
