Jharkhand state women’s commission chairperson Hemlata S. Mohan visited Dhanbad on Monday to give a patient hearing to cases of atrocities at a camp court hosted at Circuit House.

The court, attended by top administrative brass including deputy development officer Ratan Kumar Gupta and deputy superintendent of police Amit Kumar, heard over a dozen cases.

Speaking to the media, Mohan, also a well-known educator in Bokaro, pointed out the brighter side of the scenario. “Rising numbers of gender abuse cases that are reported now indicates that women are coming forward to fight patriarchal violence,” she said.

She said victims of social abuse would earlier keep silent and not file FIRs, fearing social stigma.

“The fear is now losing its grip. The fact that more and more women are filing complaints and demanding punishment for wrongdoers is a positive sign. It is the first step towards developing a healthy society,” Mohan added.

The nature of cases point the change in parents as well.

A Govindpur resident at the hearing said his 17-year-old daughter had to be married off to her molester following a panchayat diktat. “He (the accused) continued torturing my daughter after marriage, both physically and mentally. We lodged a case with the police. He has been arrested,” he said.

A Manaitand resident said his son-in-law abandoned his daughter on the pretext that he was unable to provide for her and their three children.

Mohan also met women inmates at Dhanbad jail.