63 women commit suicide in 22 months in Hazara

Psychologist says women left feeling helpless in face of spousal abuse, poverty, forced marriage

HARIPUR: At least 63 women committed suicide across Hazara Division during the last two years, with more than half of them taking place in Haripur, according to data with The Express Tribune.

The data of the last 22 months, compiled by Human Development Organization (HDO), suggests various methods of suicide were recorded, including consuming poison, shooting oneself, hanging to death and drowning.



Figures say it all

HDO clinical psychologist Saira Khan, told The Express Tribune, “The most number of deaths were caused by firearms.” She said, “Around 34 women took their lives in 2014, of them the highest number of suicides was reported in Haripur with 25 cases (90%) of all deaths,” adding, “Mansehra stood second with six reported cases, while the remaining deaths occurred in Abbottabad where three women committed suicide.” She said 20 women were single while 14 were married.

Sharing statistics from January to October 2015, Saira Khan revealed, “At least 33 cases of suicide were reported in which four attempted suicides were unsuccessful. Among these, a staggering 16 women hailed from Haripur.” She said, “From Mansehra, 13 cases of suicidal deaths were reported while four ended their lives in Abbottabad.”  She added, “Of the total, 18 women were married and 15 were single.”



A lack of women’s agency

Citing factors behind the state of mind which leads to ending one’s life, she said, “Economic stress and abuse by the husband are key factors that contribute to increasing cases of suicides,” she added.

The HDO focal person said, “It is often a result of sheer frustration and depression which is a result of disturbance in marital relations, forced and early marriages, being childless, and, in some cases, results after giving birth to a girl.”

Saira said in most cases, single girls committed suicide after they failed to get married to the men of their choice.

Some cases of combined suicides by lovers were also reported in 2015, she shared.

Man booked for wife’s suicide

In some cases, she said, “Suicides are not properly investigated because of a patriarchal mindset.” She argued in many cases a murder is often presented as suicide.

The psychologist demanded a proper mechanism to investigate deaths by suicide so true motives and reasons could be documented further.

Suggestions to curb suicide

“To cope with the growing incidents of self-harm and suicide, psychological treatment should be integrated in the general health care system besides appointing one psychologist for 20 in-patients, each in the tehsil and district headquarters hospitals,” she suggested.



Saira Khan added that there was a dire need to engage women in positive activities like awareness raising sessions highlighting the importance of life, anger management sessions, education, study, games, discussions and problem-sharing to discourage such actions.

Meanwhile, not a single case of suicide was reported in two years from other districts like Battagram, Torghar, Upper Kohistan and Lower Kohistan that have the lowest literacy rate.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th,  2015.