Remedy modules taught in universities are knowledgeable by feminism and are queer-affirmative however they don’t actively recognise caste-based pleasure and disgrace.
Psychotherapy, counselling and psychiatry are in precept designed to assist individuals realise their full potential.
Nonetheless, is the follow falling wanting its objective within the Indian context?
Is it in a position to actively and consciously deliver within the cultural, political and social context of its sufferers?
In a deeply caste-dictated society, what function can a self-discipline like psychology play in difficult the centuries-old caste system that continues to tell the Indian unconscious?
We speak to 4 individuals from the Dalit group about psychological well being, psychotherapy, psychology pedagogy in Indian universities, and alternate options to constructing secure areas towards caste discrimination.
For the context of this text, please word that the caste system is split into two broad classes of savarna and avarna. Savarna refers to individuals whose caste finds a spot within the caste system (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra). Avarna refers to individuals whose caste falls exterior the caste division. They have been actually handled as untouchables and the follow continues even immediately. Right now, avarna individuals assert their dignity through the use of the political time period, Dalit.
Activists should be skilled in therapeutic counselling: Manjula Pradeep
Manjula Pradeep (51), founding father of WAYVE Basis and Campaigns Director for Dalit Human Rights Defenders Community (DHRDNet) has been working as an activist since 1992. As a survivor of sexual abuse, she finds herself inclined to work for (and with) Dalit girls to struggle instances towards sexual violence.
“I used to be sexually abused by 4 males on the age of 4. Whereas rising up, I had worry of strangers, particularly males and my household couldn’t perceive why I used to be hiding behind the door or beneath the cot,” Pradeep says.
“I shared the incident with a couple of shut pals however I used to be in my 40s after I spoke about it to my mom for the primary time. As a baby, you aren’t conscious that this can be a crime towards you and your physique,” Manjula provides that bonding with the group by way of activism helped her heal herself.
“It isn’t only a case examine for me. It’s a mission, it’s a dedication,” Pradeep says.
DHRDNet is a coalition of over 1000 Dalit Human Rights defenders from totally different states of India. The organisation offers with critical offences, atrocities, and discrimination towards Dalit individuals. Their social media marketing campaign #LockdownCasteAtrocities presents 30 atrocity instances in 30 days on digital platforms ranging from 11 October 2020.
“We now have 1000’s of individuals throughout the nation serving to us out. That is essential help, which the group has in the meanwhile. In any other case, it is tough for us to outlive,” Pradeep says. She additionally asserts that there aren’t many activists who hearken to individuals marginalised or discriminated by caste and gender.
“Help will not be being offered. Individuals do not suppose that psychological well-being or therapeutic of caste-based trauma is necessary. Nonetheless, while you go to the courtroom for justice, while you struggle the case, it is advisable be mentally sturdy, and for that, you want lots of psychological energy. Having labored for greater than 28 years, I notice the significance of getting a detailed community of psychiatrists and psychologists in activism,” She says.
She goes on to say that psychiatrists and psychologists working with survivors of caste and gender-based trauma should be skilled particularly to deal with these instances, particularly given the geographical and language limitations that restrict accessing psychological well being companies.
“Even activists must undergo coaching of therapeutic counselling since they work instantly with the survivors, victims and their household,” Pradeep says.
She asserts that skilled psychologists and therapists from the Dalit group, particularly girls, type an necessary help group for the survivors of sexual violence.
Solely oppressed will perceive the ache of the oppressed: Ekta Sonawane
Ekta Sonawane (21) contemplate their psychological well being and psychosocial points as political. They arrive from a financially tough background and shifting to Delhi for schooling was a wrestle.
“I didn’t have cash after I got here to Delhi in 2019. Individuals from the group raised cash for me. So, it was lots of stress,” they mentioned.
Sonawane is pursuing Grasp’s in Gender Research from Ambedkar College, Delhi.
“I used to cry steadily with out realizing why. I felt lots of duty as a first-generation learner. I used to have nightmares and I’ve a historical past of kid abuse. Then within the lockdown interval, it acquired worse. That’s after I determined to take remedy. I used to be clear that I’ll take remedy provided that the individual is Dalit and Queer,” they mentioned.
Sonawane’s assertion comes from their engagement with the anti-caste motion for the reason that age of 16. They mentioned that they’ve seen excessive Buddhists to excessive communists, and even when the individual claims to be a progressive liberal or queer-friendly, their core stays problematic.
“I can not cope with savarna therapists. My expertise of being within the motion gave me this clear concept that pals from exterior Dalit circles, contacts in non-Dalit communist circles, classmates who’re savarna, liberal professors, they won’t actually perceive your ache. Like, to know what you are going by way of, somebody has to have the identical core, there ought to be some connection. Solely oppressed will perceive the ache of the oppressed. Caste could be very deep-rooted and it comes up in our behaviour unknowingly. It is in our consciousness,” they mentioned.
Aside from cash, it was a problem to discover a queer-affirmative Dalit therapist. Nazariya LGBT – a queer youth alliance and social justice advocacy group based mostly in Delhi and Mumbai – helped Sonawane discover a Dalit queer therapist.
“I informed my therapist that I can’t sleep, please do one thing. Steadily, we figured that my scenario was political, that there was energy dynamic concerned. And so, if my despair and anxiousness or no matter I am dealing with are so associated to politics then why ought to my therapist not be a political individual?” they mentioned.
Sonawane emphasises {that a} lack of understanding about psychological well being is a giant problem.
“It took me about six months in remedy to know what remedy is. So, that’s the fundamental stage the place we have to rethink and redesign remedy with regards to accessing it. Why psychological well being points exist, what are psychosocial points? After I used to maintain sleeping on a regular basis, individuals and I used to suppose that it’s due to laziness. Now, I realise that it was attributable to despair. I by no means thought that might be the explanation. Consciousness about psychological well being is the fundamental factor we have to start with,” they mentioned.
Politically knowledgeable listening circles as secure areas towards caste-discrimination in academia: Koonal Duggal
Koonal Duggal (36), a Analysis Fellow at College of Edinburgh, says that though non-Dalit therapists could also be caste-sensitive, the extent of consolation and understanding will likely be totally different with therapists who’ve lived expertise. Although the previous could remark usually, they could not perceive the politics and complexity of the expertise that Dalit individuals undergo.
“My therapist is from an upper-caste however I by no means felt she introduced caste privilege into the dialog. She at all times appeared open-minded and though we speak on a common stage, her observations do contact on the issues that I’ve. She has helped me recognise patterns in my behaviour, which result in issues,” Duggal says.
“Caste was there within the dialog from day one itself. I informed her about my sexuality, dad and mom’ inter-caste marriage and the childhood trauma I went by way of due to seeing home violence in the home. I used to be at all times clear about my Ambedkarite, anti-caste politics,” Duggal added.
Duggal says that treating one other individual as an equal is a tough activity. Internalised casteism instils self-doubt about one’s creativity and potential.
“We doubt ourselves whether or not we’re meritorious sufficient. Younger individuals, particularly, want to understand that these are structural issues and that if one will not be being so-called productive, it’s due to casteism hampering one’s potential and confidence,” Duggal says.
When requested what he thinks would assist Dalit individuals, particularly younger people who find themselves first or second-generation learners of their household, who’re getting into educational areas like universities for the primary time, find a safe-space towards caste-based discrimination, Duggal says that community-oriented listening circles can be a very good place to begin.
He additional provides that schooling is a foundational time in an individual’s life and sadly, casteism is an inescapable factor. In a single’s youth, which is a second of transformation, an anti-caste secure house for the youthful era to have interaction with one another and impart self-respect and dignity would show to be a therapeutic house.
“In academia individuals would both be overtly casteist or patronising. They typically lack empathy or an understanding of how individuals can have totally different experiences coming from totally different places of gender, sexuality, sub-caste, language and so forth. What one ought to reasonably attempt to obtain is to not choose anybody for his or her expertise however join on a humane stage to assist each other realise their potential,” Duggal says.
He asserts that there’s radical hope in group therapeutic and group remedy for individuals from all castes.
Psychological Well being economic system advantages from caste violence and its victims: Neeraj Kumar
Neeraj Kumar (26), a analysis scholar in Gender Research at Ambedkar College, Delhi, share an incident of blatant casteism they confronted at an on-field challenge.
“I went to Rajasthan on a fellowship the place we stayed in a village and labored with faculties. First, the headmaster requested me about my caste after which caste grew to become a significant situation whereas searching for lodging. I used to be attempting to play alongside and mentioned that I’m an upper-caste however it didn’t work effectively due to my darkish pores and skin color and skinny physique. I additionally spent an evening at a girl’s home who used to wash one of many faculties. She was from chamar caste and it grew to become a giant deal that I stayed with a lower-caste individual,” Kumar says.
“There was a notion about me and I needed to actually go away the fellowship as a result of I could not cope with the concept of the gaze and every little thing that occurred to me as a result of there was an excessive amount of caste on my face,” Kumar provides.
Kumar, who did Grasp’s in Psychology and Social Work in Public Well being, say that their blended emotions about their sexuality and bullying in class led to suicidal ideations, a number of relapses and despair.
Looking for psychological well being companies was not an thought they have been conversant in both. The primary time Kumar got here throughout counselling was by way of YP Basis, which is a youth-led intersectional, feminist and rights-based organisation in Delhi.
“I come from a authorities college. We solely had science and commerce, and I had no thought there was one thing referred to as psychology or counselling the place one can go and work out issues. Even in my cultural background, I didn’t come throughout anybody who accessed psychological well being companies,” they mentioned.
“Even after I got here to find out about it, it was very tough to discover a queer-friendly counsellor and I may by no means talk about my caste as a result of I used to be nonetheless figuring it out that possibly I am okay with it or, you realize, I can conceal it effectively. I lived a twin life. I used to be another person with my household and another person when I was out within the public,” Kumar mentioned.
Kumar mentioned that they didn’t wish to take the extra labour of explaining their expertise of caste-based disgrace and discrimination whereas doing the interior labour of avoiding actual penalties of caste violence.
“When the worry doesn’t discover an outlet, it retains accumulating within the physique leading to psychosomatic signs. I’m sure that my psychosocial disabilities are the product of my caste and gender, and that it is all exterior, which has gotten into me. It’s at all times been the structural points,” Kumar mentioned.
They go on so as to add that psychology college students don’t examine about caste within the curriculum. Remedy modules which are taught in universities are actually knowledgeable by feminism and have gotten queer-affirmative. Nonetheless, they don’t actively recognise caste-based pleasure and disgrace.
Kumar argues that the psychological well being economic system advantages from creating clients out of psychiatry sufferers. So long as caste-based discrimination retains giving rise to the variety of individuals in search of psychological well being companies, remedy modules knowledgeable by the annihilation of caste is not going to turn out to be a financially viable choice.
“We have to propagate that if a super therapist is touted to be empathetic and indifferent, it’s important to additionally practice them to be politically acutely aware. Identical to queer-affirmative therapists are skilled to not take a look at gender within the type of a binary, Dalit-affirmative modules should be designed to goal at annihilation of caste,” Kumar asserts.
In addition they consider that though anybody ought to be capable of get skilled in and execute the anti-caste remedy mannequin, it should stay the labour of Dalit individuals to push for such fashions and to design them autonomously.
Neeraj Kumar has shared some preliminary readings, which they consider would contribute to the understanding of how the psychological well being of Dalit individuals will get structurally affected by the caste system. By way of this, in addition they make a case that the caste system must be a structural a part of psychology-pedagogy.
The readings might be discovered right here – Psychological Well being and Caste
The creator is a contract author that touches on matters starting from NRIs experiences aboard, gender and the caste system in India.
