Whatever the exact figures, the issue of women – rather than men – leaving the family unit still creates a lot of debate in Western cultures. For example, one of the tensions in the film The Lost Daughter (hinted at in the title), is the question: has a daughter been abandoned by her mum, or, conversely, is the mum who leaves her daughters the "lost one,” underlining that there continues to be deep emotional response to this behaviour. In many ways this may seem surprising, given the tidal wave of societal and media support for gender equity in other parts of society.