What is Dessa's Scars?

Dessa's scars around her thighs and pelvic region represent ownership of the body and individual. Her former masters inflict these wounds under her skirts so as not to decrease her value. Though not readily apparent, the scars are a permanent reminder of Dessa's bondage, her body branded by the hands of her oppressors. When Harker tells her the marks only increase her value, Dessa does not initially understand. Where they prove her enslavement in other contexts, inside her relationship with Harker, they seem to suggest Dessa's individuality.