women and dependency

Dependency of Single Women on Caregivers

Ravi Samuel MA, MPhil, PGCARM(Lond) [PhD]

Psychotherapist

IntroductionThe Fact: Dependence of girl on the

mother, then the father, then the husband, then the children is a common phenomena.

Actually no different for a man!

Dependence refers to relying on a family member or relatives or friends for food, caring for the children, accommodation

and security.

Introduction Increasing Single Women

(Clinical Observations)

Changes and Challenges in the society

(Research Observations)

What needs to be done?

Psycho-Social Changes in India

Education and Financial Independence

Employment opportunities

Migrating to other cities and even abroadFinancial independence gives choice of living alone


Nuclear Family system – gives choice for individual freedom

Not bound by whole range of relatives decisions and opinions.

Parents easily go by the decisions of the children, do not impose much of cultural or traditional values


Breaking up of Marriage (Weds and Vs.)

Marriage breaks up after few days to few decades.

Girls come back to the mother’s house if they have children

Some choose to live alone if they are having a relationship with someone.

http://www.indidivorce.com/divorce-rate-in-india.html

Over the past four years the divorce rate in Delhi almost doubled in 2008.

In 2006, Bangalore, the IT hub of India 1,246 cases of divorce

It has been estimated Mumbai has shot up to 4,138 in 2007 Kolkata and Chennai, are no less behind.

Kerala, known to be the most literate state has experienced an increase of divorce rate by 350% in the last 10 years.

Lisa Lau. Middle Class Indian Woman Seeking Personal Autonomy. JOURNAL OF SOUTH ASIAN

DEVELOPMENT 2010 5: 271.

Autonomy vs. Family and Social Roles

Lack of sexual freedom

Overcoming impositions - torch bearers of culture and traditions

Paula Banerjee The Acts and Facts of Women's Autonomy in India

Diogenes 2006 53: 85

Abolition of Sati in 1829Age of Consent Bill in 1892

Indian Marriages Act. In 1864Indian Succession Act of 1865

Indian Divorce Act 1869Hindu Women’s Right to Divorce Bill

Paula BanerjeeDepartment of South and Southeast Asian Studies,University of Calcutta and Calcutta Research Group

Hindu Women’s Right to Property Act of 1937

The United Nations declared 1975–85 as decade for women

Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961

Domestic Violence Act 2005

Ramakrishna Hegde’s Karnataka Govt1983 25 mandating 25 per cent representation for

women now

One third of the seats are for women.

Yamini Narayanan Violence Against Women in Delhi: A Sustainability Problematic, JOURNAL OF SOUTH ASIAN

DEVELOPMENT 2012 7: 1

Delhi ranks the highest of all Indian cities in crimes against Women:

dowry deaths, domestic violence and psychological

torture, rape,

abduction and molestation

Are Dowry Deaths are replacing Rape?

Rape is the consequence of the double standards we adopt with sexuality,

pornography and gay/lesbian choicesOnly the individual has the right to choose

his sexuality

Rape is a social illness not isolated problems of few men

Vinitha Johnson Women and the Internet : A Micro Study in Chennai, India Indian Journal of Gender Studies 2010 17: 151

The number of women online in India has crossed the 12 million

The Internet is AvoidableUntil it becomes a Necessity

Financial Investments Times of India July 24th 2013

Ascent Page 2

Less than 18 per cent of the women make independent decisions.

Caregivers Parents

Relationships

Siblings

Relatives

Friends

Vindhya. Quality of Women's Lives in India: Some Findings from Two Decades of Research on Gender

Studies Feminism & Psychology 2007 17: 337

Work – Family InterfaceMental Health

ViolenceReproductive Health

Gender Linked AttributionsSexuality

AgingMarriage and Motherhood

Need for StudiesThere is a need for specific studies

on the caregiving needs of the single women.

Social Policy and Services are required to meet the emerging social

reality of ‘single women’

Thank You

Ladies and Gentlemen

women and dependency

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