Silence Has No Honour

Silence Has No Honour

Married at the age of 18, Usha, the mother of three children between the ages of 16 and 12, came to Oxfam India's partner program to seek respite from her husband Ram Achal, an alcoholic, who would often beat her up. Usha’s decision was prompted by the determination that her children would not suffer at her husband’s hands.

“I would have tolerated it but when he started locking the children out of home, I knew I had to act”, she says. Usha was directed to the Oxfam India supported program in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh in 2009 by village elders who knew of its work.

At the organisation, Usha and her children were housed in the short stay home for a while and a Domestic Incident Report filed with the Probation Officer at the Social Welfare Board. Her husband was asked to appear at its office. Both parties were counselled separately and then together. An agreement was drawn up with Usha consenting to return on the condition that her husband would not beat her or the children. As Ram Achal worked intermittently and would blow up his earnings on alcohol, the organisation also offered Usha work as a cook. She also found work under the Mid Day Meal scheme at a nearby primary school.

Usha’s new found economic independence and the constant follow up of her case by Oxfam India's staff on the ground and its partner has ensured that her husband has adhered to the conditions of the agreement, even though he has not given up alcohol. Usha though is trying to rid him of the addiction by stealthily mixing a homeopathic medicine that promises to cure alcoholism, in his food.

The change in circumstances has bestowed Usha with immense confidence. She says that she no longer depends on her husband to ensure their children’s future.

“I will educate my daughter as much as possible. Every day I teach my sons to respect women”, she says. Usha’s struggle is remarkable because, despite her father and brother asking her to and promising support, she never thought of leaving her marital home.

“I have complete rights over this home, why should I give it up?” she asks. In her own way, Usha has also turned counsellor for other women in distress, and directs them to the centre. She says, “Women like me suffer abuse because we stay silent. But I tell other women that silence does not help. There is no honour in it, and we must speak out for our rights”. Usha has proved that it is possible.

Impact by Oxfam India

• 49 women survivors have approached to Oxfam's women support centre for counselling, legal and medical aid.

• 4 meetings held with Department of Women and Child and Police Department at district level for better coordination and getting help in solving and highlighting of the issue. 5 cases were solved with the support of local police station.

• 32 Community meeting were held on the issues of gender, 5 new vigilance committees emerged as an outcome of the meeting and a Total of 800 men and women attended these meetings.

Background:

Azamgarh is one of the extreme backward districts in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The mindset of the people is still very feudal. Gender and caste are the sources of various kinds of discriminations, assaults and violence. Women are principal providers of care and support to families. Yet social indicators show a fundamental social bias and inequality. Newspapers and periodicals of all hues in India often carry reports about violence against women (VAW). These include among others incidents of young brides being burnt for bringing ‘insufficient’ dowry, women dying in abnormal circumstances, rape on hapless women and molestation of young girls. In some cases there are public protests by women activists and such protests receive media coverage.

Domestic violence suffered by women on a regular basis in the form of psychological or physical abuse goes unreported. Very rarely do women themselves file police cases against the ill treatment meted out to them. A few women who escape death end up in shelter homes, but the majority continues to live in marital union and endure abusive behavior.

 It is Oxfam India's endeavor to help women like Usha become aware of their rights, raise their voice and get a chance to live a life with dignity. And we can not do this without your support.

Click here to help end Violence against women

 

Gender Justice

We campaign to change patriarchal mindsets that influence violence against women  

Read More

Related Blogs

Blogs

Stories that inspire us

Gender Justice

20 Mar, 2023

Delhi

International Women's Day Round Up

This International Women's Day was celebrated across our office in their own unique ways. From felicitating women farmers to launching a new brand of product, this International Women's D...

Gender Justice

02 Dec, 2022

Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh

Striving for Financial Inclusion: Need Women-Friendly Ecosystem

In India, one half of the population i.e.women contribute enormously, whether it is in the formal sector or the informal sector or unpaid care work. It’s almost a thankless job for women ...

Gender Justice

28 Nov, 2022

New Delhi

Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls And the Role of Civil Society Organisations

The issue of violence against women and girls has become a pandemic in the current situation, especially in South Asian countries where strict patriarchal norms and structural inequality ...

Gender Justice

15 Sep, 2022

New Delhi

India Discrimination Report | 8 Things You Need To Know

Discrimination in the labour market occurs when people with similar abilities are treated differently due to their identity or social backgrounds. So far, very few attempts have been made...

img Become an Oxfam Supporter, Sign Up Today One of the most trusted non-profit organisations in India