Economic liberation = = Gender Empowerment?

As feminists explain again and again, we are not here to take anybody's rights away. We are only interested in demanding our basic human rights, and in doing that we are demanding equality.
      As a child growing up in India, I do know a thing or two about empowerment of women. It certainly does not happen to those who are economically or financially disadvantaged. By putting themselves in a position of lesser power, women and men alike are literally and by definition ,unempowered. Unempowered people cannot stand up and fight for their rights, since most of them are busy earning their daily bread. They do not have the luxury of time to worry about rights and civic liberties. If some of them do find the courage to do so, they end up being slaves to a leader or a higher power in some form or other. This naturally led many of us to conclude that empowerment must come naturally to those who are financially comfortable, that these fortunate souls recognize that they do have power and it is up to them not to give it away and to continually fight for its existence. I was sadly mistaken. As it follows, empowerment does not follow economic liberation. Why do I say this, you ask? Well after visiting a developed country (whose name I will not mention), where most women enjoyed sufficient economic liberties, had physical freedom and were in positions to voice their rights, I think I am in a position to remark on the subject. I found most women looking up to men for their support, advice and happiness. Now, there's nothing wrong with this. I personally love men, have many male friends and enjoy their company. But not to the extent that I am willing to give up my self-respect. Not when they talk down to me in a condescending manner. Not when they explicitly treat women as sexual objects. Not when they consider women and girls as inferior, foolish beings incapable of achievement.( I am not talking about all men or all women, I am referring to the majority). Not when a considerable majority of women will never reach a leadership position. Not when rape culture continually perpetuates in universities, schools and workplaces.
The satirical part of the whole matter is that the majority of women actually consider this to be the norm. As much that they look down on feminism as some form of weird voodoo that have no place in their lives. Most believe that sexual objectification of women is normal to the extent that they have  absolutely no problem objectifying themselves. They actually believe that without men, they have absolutely no value to their lives. Consequently, to keep these "men" in their lives, they go  as far as possible to please them in every way. This form of passive victimization shouldn't have happened in this part of this world, what with a high social development index and economic empowerment.  What possibly went wrong? I'm still continually puzzled. Is it lack of education or is it just blatant acceptance of chauvinism?