Despite being the second most populous country in the world and having an estimated 150 million people in need of mental health care, the lack of available treatment has left India in crisis. According to a report by the World Health Organization, there are only 0.3 psychiatrists, 0.07 psychologists and 0.07 social workers are available per 100,000 population across the entire country with most services being available only in the larger cities.
Along with people dealing with major mental illness who are going untreated, India also leads the world in cases of child sex abuse and exploitation. A 2013 study published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry found that half of all Indian children have faced some form of sexual abuse and one in five have experienced severe forms of abuse, something that has long been ignored or overlooked due to the traditional practice of victim-shaming. As a result, abused children carry the emotional and physical scars of their abuse long into adulthood and may also perpetuate that cycle of violence with other children.
To combat the stigma of abuse, as well as providing much-needed mental health care, a coalition of mental health professionals, social workers, and aid organizations are forming community mental health initiatives to identify people willing to work in their own communities and reach out to victims isolated by fear or language differences. One of these organizations, the Mukthat Foundation (muktha means liberation in English), was formed to provide mental health services as well as crusade for abuse prevention. Founded by mental health professional Ashwini N.V, , the foundation has launched a series of initiatives to combat abuse and to help victims overcome the mental health issues that stem from that abuse.
One of the most ambitious of these initiatives is Bhaya Muktha (liberation from fear) which was launched earlier this year. In a recent interview, Ashwini talked about the new programme : "We ran the first phase of programme for three months beginning from January 1 to March 31 this year. Bhaya Muktha covered all 26 states and three union territories of India. We conducted eight programmes each in the capitals of the states and in union territories with different stakeholders including doctors, police, parents, teachers, children and healthcare professionals. We equipped participants to identify symptoms of sexual abuse in children and trained healthcare professionals to use different approaches to counsel the survivors."
But Muktha is not focusing on child sexual abuse alone. workshops are also being launched to tackle domestic violence, interpersonal violence, dating violence,bullying and cybercrime. Along with those public workshops, Muktha is also developing certificate programs on interpersonal violence at some of the regional colleges and universities. Ashwini and her colleagues are also engaged in a research programme called Muktha Abhivyaktha (expressions of liberation) for developing new therapy options for trauma survivors, including using art, theatre, dance, and music to help victims tell their story.
While the Mental Health Care Act recently passed in India formally recognizes the legal right of India's people to receive mental health care, much more needs to be done. That includes expanding available services as well as raising public awareness concerning mental health issues and the stigma that still prevents many people from seeking help. Organizations such as the Muktha Foundation are only the beginning.
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