Courts are the place where disputes between the parties are to be settled. Generally, it is seen that when it comes to the court, what people consider that it is where either Criminal or Civil disputes are to be sorted. However, one of the most crucial sides of the disputed cases that are overlooked is concerned with the Family. Deeper one goes into it, the more complicated it becomes.

The Family Courts Act, 1984 provides for the establishment of Family Courts by the state governments in consultation with High Courts. The objective behind setting up Family Courts was to provide speeding justice in cases relating to family affairs and marriage. So, now here comes an important question do these courts really fulfill the distinguished needs for which they were set up, or it's just like any other courtroom where justice is delivered?

When it comes to courts and justice, cases in High Court and Supreme Court become headlines but what about people residing in small cities and countryside? Sometimes it appears their problems are overlooked. Such people do not have issues pertaining to trademark infringement or money laundering. For them, their family is their everything and even a small constraint can shake their whole world. Taking a deeper look into the cases that are filed in Family Courts, the applicant, in a major of the cases is obviously a woman. Globally, we talk and debate about women's empowerment but has anyone seen those innocent faces of women who stand outside family courts waiting for their names to get announced? Visiting a Family Court may become horrible sometimes since what we witness in such cases is what our eyes would never like to see.

The most common format of such cases is where a woman is tortured, humiliated, exploited, or even attempted to murder just because she has brought less dowry with her, given birth to a female child, or even many other causes that are deeply rooted in the society. Irony, here, is that even though we have well-settled laws for prohibition of dowry still when we go through FIR it seems that people actually do not care about these laws. It's important that such cases should not be only resolved in the courts but also keep the confidentiality enact they must be brought out in the public so that suffering women may seek help. Many headlines are published on a regular basis blaming Judiciary for delayed justice however no one talks about what happens behind the curtains. It is not always the judge responsible for keeping the case running so long but sometimes the people on other side of the bar. So, again here comes the most crucial role of education. Usually, in such cases, it is seen that a lack of proper knowledge of laws may disrupt the happenings. The victim, a woman, generally does not know about her rights as an Indian citizen and as a wife. She keeps suffering in silence and is deprived of all the respect and love that she deserves. Female education is not given much importance in areas from most of such cases are filed. The girl is married at an early age due to which she kept unaware about her surroundings and after marriage also she is kept behind the curtains and later on cherishing early motherhood, which completely changes her life.

Also, we know about the image of courts have in the minds of common folks. The ever-money-consuming long court proceedings and also the want of legal steps make it a tough task. Non-appearance of either of both the parties and taking hearings for granted are some other obstacles to the path. Suppose even if a woman is well sufficient to wear all the cost but what about the society with whose chain a woman is wrapped? How would she take a bold step to leave her marital house because of all the sufferings which are nothing in the eyes of the society? To take a daring step to file a case against her husband requires a lot of courage in a society where patriarchy is deeply enrooted. Lots of questions stand before her as a wall to reaching justice. First of all, who will take responsibility before and after the conclusion is reached? Let us leave her in-laws, even her own parents and family refrain from helping her. And even if everything is sorted, the child becomes a crucial question to deal with. The custody of the kids, their maintenance, upbringing, inheritance, and a whole lot of stretched legal proceedings are several factors that force a woman to suffer just for the sake of her child. Minds of the children are very tender and hence witnessing court hearings and being a part of legal battles may have an evil effect on their minds hence budding not so civilized citizens which in turn is not at all good for society. Whatever the conclusion be, the child has to suffer with the lifetime trauma making him bitter. So, after the case is filed there are can be two ends to which one would be a separation of both the parties and the other be a compromise but if we try to look at the other side of the picture at the end it is only and only the woman has to suffer. In such cases, it is witnessed that the courts generally give time to both parties to compromise because separations can destroy and disturb an entire family with absolutely no peace at last. New beginnings, especially for a woman be in the form of remarriage, a new job, or living all alone like a blurred image in a country like India.

It is said that to remove any evil it is important to work on its root not just on the face. First of all, patriarchy being an obstacle since ages should be removed from the society which can be done by imparting gender-neutral morals to the male dominating society. Patriarchal mindset is not only a harm to the female population but also to the growth of society. Woman before being a female is a human hence crime against women is against humanity too. The opinion of the society is the biggest obstacle that many times are responsible for the suffering of the female population. Once this fear of society is removed from the minds of the struggling women then only, they can succeed in living a happy life. Not being given proper education is also a major factor that hampers the growth of a woman. In this era, it is very important for a woman to be independent and that too financially. In cases where a woman is exploited, the main reason for her to suffer in silence is due to lack of financial aid. If a woman has money to raise herself then she can very well live life on her own terms. Education, therefore, is the only factor that can free a woman from the chains of patriarchy. If a woman is well educated, she can fight the injustice done to her and discard the demons of a male dominating society. Also, legal aid and counseling should be provided to the woman so as to make them realize that they just do not have to only exist but live a respectful life. It is high time that we not only have to make the society realize however to the suffering women also that their worth is not less than a man and they mean more than that.

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