Destitute Women in Kerala: Psychological resources and psycho ...

The ‘t’ value for emotional maturity also showed significant difference between the two
groups. As a lesser score in emotional maturity scale indicates a higher level of maturity,
destitute women are found to be emotionally more mature than slum dwelling family women.
The values, however, showed that destitute women and family women do not differ
significantly in Neuroticism, Health Adjustment, Emotional Adjustment, and Occupational
Adjustment.
The authorities of after-care homes and institutions who were consulted had, in general, a
contemptible picture of the destitute inmates. They were of the opinion that a majority of the
destitute women were highly extroverted, easily suggestible, irresponsible, unskilled,
disobedient, and highly emotional. According to them, they were maladjusted in nature and
their coping skills were extremely poor. The home authorities explained that these women
had histories that prove that they had failed in making proper adjustments in their own homes
and at other places. They were persons who failed to conform to the traditional attitudes of
accepting roles in accordance with the conventional values of the community.
On the other hand, the inmates could not find happiness in submerging their identity by
adopting the feminine roles ascribed to them by the society. Lack of social skills, competencies,
and other required potentials made these women maladjusted and paranoid. Statistical data
also show that a good number of women destitutes who were rehabilitated in the form of
marriage, job placement, etc., have found their way back to institutions or streets again.
It is a common notion that the destitute women have major deep-rooted personality disorders
and psychological difficulties. Having had to lead the lives of destitutes, they frequently have
a sense of futility, expectations of failure, and general depression. They become easily frustrated
and anxious and find frustration and anxiety unbearable. It is usually observed that when
these destitute women happen to end up in care homes (Mahila Mandirs), the authorities
tend to keep frequent, although unnoticed, control over them. This leads to their punitive
attitudes and behaviour, which in turn accelerate the vicious cycle of mutual antagonism,
distress, and anxiety. The consequence is a failure in the effective implementation of the
various rehabilitation programmes of the Social Welfare Department. Thus, it has to be
understood that there is an increasing uncertainty about the purpose and the meaning of their
existence together with feelings of insecurity, frustration, and helplessness among the destitute
women inmates of the care homes.
The conditions of after-care homes make these women feel miserable. The institutions and
the care homes have not given any importance to rehabilitation of these women in the areas
of health, education, and self-employment that would make them self-dependent. The
institutions hardly make attempts in the area of distress management and legal aid for the
abandoned and deserted women. Moreover, the inmates have frequent complaints about the
manner in which they are treated in sheltered homes. They feel that the home authorities
always exploit their pervasive sense of powerlessness and helplessness. The inmates are
often made to feel de-personalised and sub-standard. The home authorities are said to behave
in ways so authoritative and inhuman that the destitute inmates are forced to feel more and
more destitute and depressed.
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