Freedom means Choice

We are still in march and women's day thoughts have a way of getting focussed during this month. I distinctly remember Mina Swaminathan a senior offical working with ngo's on women's empowerment, in a seminar that i attended.She made a point that at the very root of women empowerment is the question of 'whether a womenis able to exercise her freedom to choose'.It could be freedom to choose to study and if yes, what course and in which place/institution. If and when to get married;if and where to work;in short to decide what she wants to do with her life. It should rest with her and her alone.
Many a time others make the choice for her and she goes along.Perhaps she belives to conform rather than confront is her calling in life. And it becomes worse when , because she conforms she is 'allowed' good life and comforts.It is not explicitely mentioned though. But her movements are restricted; most often than not, it is with regard to being able to visit one's parents or siblings or any other person without express 'permission' from others in her family.
She cannot pursue any interest other than cooking and 'looking after the house'.Nowadays with all gadgets it is not a full time job; more so when the children grow up, she feels the void in her life and the sense of regret at not being able to pursue her dreams creates immense tension in her. But then over the years she has got used to a set pattern of behaviour and finds it impossible to break free!
If this is the lot of educated women from good families, necessarily such choices and set moulds of behaviour become more difficult to break for women from many other families.
I get extremely exercised when i meet with 'violence' against any living thing. Here by 'violence' i mean restraining another person from making a choice about how to lead their lives.
Want to know when did women accept this role of being somebody else's 'attachment' and why??