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These stories are so depressing. They really motivate one to get married. And I know that toxic in-laws are a problem in EVERY culture and country. But I feel that this problem is more like rampant disease in desi society. Like a raging epidemic or plague.
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Don't give up hope! There are awesome families out there. I married into one and so did a lot of other people I know.
I think one of the reasons that there are so many complaints about this shortly after a couple gets married or even while they're in the process of getting married, is that vision of a lot of people is programmed to see only certain things. What I mean is that when looking for potential mates, the girl's family and boy's family look for a lot of seemingly superficial things - looks, income, size of house, zaath, parents' occupation, etc. Now, I'm not saying all of these things are unimportant. Looks are important because you personally have to find the other person attractive. Income is important to a degree because no well meaning parent would allow their daughter to marry someone who can't provide for their precious daughter.
But there's a limit to it. People want supermodels, they want millionaires, they want a big house and not an apartment. And sometimes, they even end up getting those things. And that's right about the time the complaints about the abusive/insensitive husbands, the toxic inlaws, the argumentative bahus, etc. begin. Because while they were busy looking for all the "outside stuff," they forgot to look at the "inside stuff" such as personality, sense of humor, sharaafat, etc. And by that time, it's too late.
And here's the added disclaimer...this is of course not true in all cases. A lot of people genuinely want someone who is shareef and demand no more than that. Truly. There are people out there like that as well. But unfortunately, it sometimes happens that in those cases the shareef ladka/ladki was just putting on a show and shows his/her true colors after the marriage.
So ultimately, you just have to be careful, say your prayers, and leave it in Allah's hands.