WOMEN IN DISTRESS

Women in India have several socio-economic disabilities that make them vulnerable. The severity and complexity of their problems leads to the physical and psychological harassment and trauma. In most of these cases, they are thrown out of their parental or matrimonial homes. The state of Maharashtra has a long tradition of NGOs’ running shelter homes for women in distress. However, in India, very little research has been done in this area. There is also a dearth of documented information relating to the life of women in these institutions, the shape of their distress, strategies for rehabilitation and problems and challenges faced by these institutions in offering shelter to their inmates.

In this lively and unique study of Shraddhanand Mahilashram, which is one of the oldest and well-established shelter homes in Mumbai, a novel perspective on women’s lives has been presented. Besides, how these institutions respond to societal situations and needs, is a matter of discussion. It also provides an insight into the understanding of changes in the profile of institutionalised women of as well as the nature of their distress over a period of last seventy years.