Gender, mental illness and the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955

Pathare, Soumitra; Nardodkar, Renuka; Shields, Laura; Bunders, Joske; Sagade, Jaya

doi:10.20529/ijme.2015.003

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Among cases reaching the High Court, 95% were filed by male petitioners. [20] The failure in gender role establishment seems to be interfering with the lives of women, more so in those with mental illness. Viewing from a gender perspective, decision-making and access to property allow for minimal involvement from women.…”

Section: Women With Mental Illness -Sociocultural and Familial Responsementioning

confidence: 99%

Women with Mental Illness - An Overview of Sociocultural Factors Influencing Family Rejection and Subsequent Institutionalization in India

Moorkath¹,

Vranda²,

Naveenkumar

2019

Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine

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Background: Family abandonment and rejection resulting in homelessness are detrimental to women diagnosed with mental illness in India. A majority of the literature related to homelessness holds a western background, and women's homelessness in relation to mental illness is relatively unexplored in the Indian context. This review was conducted to understand the sociocultural factors influencing family rejection and to synthesize the living situation of institutionalized women with mental illness in India. Methods: Literature search in electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar), carried out using appropriate keywords, and a manual search in the library catalog. Results: As per the selection criteria, 19 reports, including original research articles and conceptual papers, were included and reviewed. Conclusion: There is a shortage of methodologically sound research in understanding the connection of mental illness–women homelessness–and the institutionalization scenario. This review highlights the necessity of shifting focus from institutionalization to innovative psychiatric rehabilitation strategies using the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.

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Section: Women With Mental Illness -Sociocultural and Familial Responsementioning

confidence: 99%

Women with Mental Illness - An Overview of Sociocultural Factors Influencing Family Rejection and Subsequent Institutionalization in India

Moorkath¹,

Vranda²,

Naveenkumar

2019

Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine

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“…Illness-related stigma, limited educational and employment opportunities, women's economic dependence on their families, and gender bias in mental health legislation and practice put women at greater risk of confinement to mental hospitals as compared with men (Chatterjee & Hashim, 2015;Maitra, 2003;Moorkath et al, 2018Moorkath et al, , 2019Thara et al, 2003). Legal literature documents women being wrongfully admitted and abandoned in mental hospitals by natal and matrimonial families (Dhanda, 1987;Moorkath et al, 2019;Pathare et al, 2015). Providers and families collude to diagnose women who deviate from expected gender roles as mentally ill. For example, husbands may then use the diagnosis and subsequent admission to a mental hospital as evidence of women's "insanity" to facilitate divorce proceedings, gain control over property, or deny them custody of children (Chatterjee & Hashim, 2015;Pathare et al, 2015).…”

Section: The Context: Women In Psychiatric Institutions In Indiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Legal literature documents women being wrongfully admitted and abandoned in mental hospitals by natal and matrimonial families (Dhanda, 1987;Moorkath et al, 2019;Pathare et al, 2015). Providers and families collude to diagnose women who deviate from expected gender roles as mentally ill. For example, husbands may then use the diagnosis and subsequent admission to a mental hospital as evidence of women's "insanity" to facilitate divorce proceedings, gain control over property, or deny them custody of children (Chatterjee & Hashim, 2015;Pathare et al, 2015). A court-based study to analyze judgments related to divorce in the context of spousal mental illness highlighted that 85% of cases were filed by husbands, medical evidence was presented in only 36% of cases, and in many cases, divorce/nullity was granted to husbands without them presenting any medical evidence (Pathare et al, 2015).…”

Section: The Context: Women In Psychiatric Institutions In Indiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“The Day I Die Is The Day I Will Find My Peace”: Narratives of Family, Marriage, and Violence Among Women Living With Serious Mental Illness in India

Bhattacharya

2021

Violence Against Women

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In India, there is limited research on the nature of familial relationships and domestic violence that women living with serious mental illness (SMI) experience. Using the self-in-relation theory and through 34 in-depth interviews, I explored narratives related to family, marriage, and violence in familial relationships among women living with SMI at a psychiatric institution in an urban city in India. These narratives are critical because they highlight how the presence of mental illness exacerbates the violence women experience. Informed by participants’ narratives, I offer specific recommendations on creating gender-sensitive mental health care that is mindful of women’s social realities.

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Understanding the Role of Stigma and Misconceptions in the Experience of Epilepsy in India: Findings From a Mixed-Methods Study

Gosain

Samanta

2022

Front. Sociol.

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It is surprising that although 12 million people in India suffer from epilepsy this remains a thoroughly under-researched area in the sociology of health and practice. We address this intellectual and policy neglect by reviewing the social, psychological and legal challenges governing the lives of people living with epilepsy (PWE) by paying particular attention to negotiations in arranged marriages and employment. Drawing on the analytical frameworks of the sociological study of stigma, critical race theory and paying attention to the cultural models of health and suffering, this study utilized a combination of (online) survey data (N = 100) and in-depth qualitative interviews (N = 10) with PWE and their families. The online survey was administered to map the level of awareness about epilepsy and its clinical management among the general population, whereas the in-depth interviews were conducted to understand the experience, self-perception and everyday struggles of those diagnosed with the condition. Findings from the survey on non-PWE suggest a general lack of awareness and fearful misconceptions around epilepsy related seizures. In-depth interviews with PWEs revealed concealment (of the illness) as a dominant coping strategy to attenuate the social alienation and rejection associated with epilepsy. Further, PWE participants reported persistent discrimination, harassment and prejudiced understanding of diminished cognitive capacities at workplaces as a result of cultural myths and popular representations of epilepsy-related seizures. The study also demonstrated the significance of institutional support groups in assisting PWE to cope with symbolic violence and forge solidarities. We conclude with reflections on the ethical dilemmas faced by medical practitioners while dealing with social-medical interventions of epilepsy treatment. Overall, results from this study undergird the significance to revisit the social-moral as well as legal frameworks that persistently restrict opportunities for PWE in India. In an attempt to reimagine inclusive futures regardless of disease, disability and affliction, we attempt to move beyond the biomedical gaze and instead privilege stories of individual personhood, struggles and aspirations.

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Gender, mental illness and the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955

Abstract: Our analysis highlights the need for standardised guidelines for lower courts on what constitutes adequate medical proof of mental illness when hearing a petition related to nullity or divorce under HMA. It also provides a critical review of Section 5(ii) of HMA.

Cited by 4 publications

References 10 publications

Women with Mental Illness - An Overview of Sociocultural Factors Influencing Family Rejection and Subsequent Institutionalization in India

Women with Mental Illness - An Overview of Sociocultural Factors Influencing Family Rejection and Subsequent Institutionalization in India

“The Day I Die Is The Day I Will Find My Peace”: Narratives of Family, Marriage, and Violence Among Women Living With Serious Mental Illness in India

Understanding the Role of Stigma and Misconceptions in the Experience of Epilepsy in India: Findings From a Mixed-Methods Study

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