Bangalore:
Thousands of women are killed each year - by the family into which they marry - violence that is often ignored and unpunished by the system.
The India Court of Women on Dowry and Related Forms of Violence Against Women was held in Bangalore on Tuesday to give a hearing to the testimony of survivors and those fighting against this violence. This was part of the global movement, Courts of Women, started in 1991.
"The three people got together and my daughter - she was educated and working as a teacher - they set her on fire. Put kerosene on her face, beat her on the back and pushed her on to the stove. Then her mother-in-law locked the door and left," recalls Saifulnisa, mother of dowry victim.
This is just one of the many heart-breaking stories that received a public hearing at this Court - a Court presided over by a jury made up of those who do care for the thousands of women who are killed for dowry every year.
"One of our biggest issues is that we devalue women, we devalue girl children. And women in patriarchy devalue themselves. Because they only see their salvation in being married, however rotten a lie that marriage is," said dancer and activist, Mallika Sarabhai.
"What this Court on violence against women can do is make us realise that India is not shining when it comes to women," said Vandana Shiva, an activist.
The court's agenda - this kind of violence should not become invisible - just because it is so common.
"The court of women is trying to create another space where the voices and experiences of women of violence in their home can be made public - because the courts, the police, the judicial system I think fail to validate the experience of women. Unofficial figures say at least 25,000 dowry deaths a year - and what worries us is that it is not an issue for anybody," said Donna Fernandes, Vimochana, Organiser.
"We should get justice - they are troubling us and giving us pain. They say you have no witness, you have nothing," said the mother of a dowry victim.
The testimonies have been full of pain - the voices of those who are sharing their personal traumas to remind society of the violence faced by women - violence that should not be ignored.