That's what the introduction of Islam did in Arabia. They went from a situation where the bride's parents paid the groom a dowry (with the predictable female in

That's what the introduction of Islam did in Arabia. They went from a situation where the bride's parents paid the groom a dowry (with the predictable female infanticide) to one where the groom paid the bride (not her parents) a mahr or "bridal gift" that is a security for her if the marriage is dissolved.