Marital Distress among Migrant Marital Distress among Migrant Worker’s Spouses Worker’s Spouses

in in GopalpurGopalpur

PRESENTED BY

K. DANDASI Berhampur University

In collaboration with:

ELINA RATHABerhampur University

ContentsContents

Marital DistressMarital Distress

CausesCauses

MigrationMigration

Survey in BaxipalliSurvey in Baxipalli

Pros and ConsPros and Cons

Objectives for BaxipalliObjectives for Baxipalli

Migrant WorkersMigrant Workers

FeaturesFeatures

Observation ReportObservation Report

Exploitation Of WomenExploitation Of Women

Facilities available at worksiteFacilities available at worksite

Health status of the Migrant WomenHealth status of the Migrant Women

Availability of government facilities at the worksiteAvailability of government facilities at the worksite

Problems of migrant womenProblems of migrant women

Social ProblemsSocial Problems

Marital DistressMarital Distress

Marital relationship is commonly initiated with the belief Marital relationship is commonly initiated with the belief that both the marital partners are entering into the that both the marital partners are entering into the relationship is defined by love, sharing caring for each relationship is defined by love, sharing caring for each other, intimacy and confidence.other, intimacy and confidence.

Marital distress is one of the most frequently Marital distress is one of the most frequently encountered and disturbing human problems.encountered and disturbing human problems.

Everyone who is married experiences difficulties, but for Everyone who is married experiences difficulties, but for some, these troubles reach the point that partners some, these troubles reach the point that partners become profoundly disappointed and upset about their become profoundly disappointed and upset about their marriages and may even come to question whether they marriages and may even come to question whether they want to continue to remain married.want to continue to remain married.

CAUSESCAUSES

Marital problems are purely about problems in the Marital problems are purely about problems in the relationship such as communication, solving problems, relationship such as communication, solving problems, arguing, intimacy.arguing, intimacy.

MIGRATIONMIGRATION

Migration denotes any movement of groups of people Migration denotes any movement of groups of people from one locality to another and takes different forms. In from one locality to another and takes different forms. In this movement of people, women’s location and spaces this movement of people, women’s location and spaces are defined by their positioning within the society and are defined by their positioning within the society and state.state.

The Process have been categorized into :The Process have been categorized into :

1.1. PermanentPermanent

2.2. Semi – PermanentSemi – Permanent

3.3. Temporary Temporary

Important factor is AFFAIR.Important factor is AFFAIR.

Survey in BaxipalliSurvey in Baxipalli

In survival migration, economic gains are minimal; there In survival migration, economic gains are minimal; there is little improvement in the economic status of both men is little improvement in the economic status of both men and women. Besides, there is a reinforcement of and women. Besides, there is a reinforcement of traditional gender roles, and an increasing subordination traditional gender roles, and an increasing subordination of women.of women.

Poverty and search for employment have been the Poverty and search for employment have been the predominant propellants of survival migration of people.predominant propellants of survival migration of people.

Migration has contributed to increase in number of Migration has contributed to increase in number of women headed families.women headed families.

Pros and ConsPros and ConsDecreasing time for leisure.Decreasing time for leisure.

Joint family system is breaking up.Joint family system is breaking up.

Numbers of people living below poverty line Numbers of people living below poverty line have increased.have increased.

Women have stepped out of the four walls of Women have stepped out of the four walls of household for economic contribution.household for economic contribution.

industrialization and urbanization have industrialization and urbanization have resulted in migration of young family resulted in migration of young family members to urban centers in search of better members to urban centers in search of better livelihood options.livelihood options.

Objectives for BaxipalliObjectives for Baxipalli

1.1. To achieve social peace in my working To achieve social peace in my working area namely New Baxipalli.area namely New Baxipalli.

2.2. To obtain healing and to set right the To obtain healing and to set right the broken relationships in the 8 families of broken relationships in the 8 families of the area.the area.

3.3. To consents the society on right living To consents the society on right living through family life. through family life.

Migrant workersMigrant workersMigration has been one of the oldest Migration has been one of the oldest survival strategies in the history of survival strategies in the history of mankind.mankind.

Push/Pull factor for Migration:Push/Pull factor for Migration:

1.1. Search of better livelihood option has been Search of better livelihood option has been the prominent pull factor.the prominent pull factor.

2.2. Dehumanizing conditions due to poverty is Dehumanizing conditions due to poverty is the major push factor.the major push factor.

FeaturesFeaturesOne vital impact of migration on family is One vital impact of migration on family is change in its structure and functioning change in its structure and functioning depending the age, sex of migrating depending the age, sex of migrating member.member.

Most of them belong to poor socio-Most of them belong to poor socio-economic strata and have to take shelter economic strata and have to take shelter in slums and ghettos characterized by in slums and ghettos characterized by dingy congested unhygienic places that dingy congested unhygienic places that are often a hub of anti-social activities.are often a hub of anti-social activities.

Observation ReportObservation Report

Factors influencing Marital Distress:Factors influencing Marital Distress:

1.1. Dowry abuseDowry abuse

2.2. ViolenceViolence

3.3. Extramarital affairsExtramarital affairs

4.4. Character deformationCharacter deformation

Exploitation of womenExploitation of women

Compulsory work for 12 to 16 hrs Compulsory work for 12 to 16 hrs everyday.everyday.

Hard work resulting in frequent fever and Hard work resulting in frequent fever and poor health condition.poor health condition.

Working under the sun resulting in fatigue.Working under the sun resulting in fatigue.

Language abuse while taking rest in case Language abuse while taking rest in case of illness or during pregnancy.of illness or during pregnancy.

While traveling to and back from the While traveling to and back from the site of work, women have been site of work, women have been subjected to molestation; rape and subjected to molestation; rape and even kidnapping.even kidnapping.

Facilities available at worksiteFacilities available at worksite

AccommodationAccommodation

In Barang, Orissa (brick kiln work site of migrants), the chhanchua In Barang, Orissa (brick kiln work site of migrants), the chhanchua families live in the workplace and their houses are spread out in families live in the workplace and their houses are spread out in different directions of the workplace. different directions of the workplace.

In AP, the chhanchua group first makes the raw bricks, which are In AP, the chhanchua group first makes the raw bricks, which are used for the construction of temporary low-roofed and thatched used for the construction of temporary low-roofed and thatched houses in the worksite where they stay.houses in the worksite where they stay.

Contd…Contd…

FoodFood

For Barang, , the rate of rice is high, they purchase low grade rice the rate of rice is high, they purchase low grade rice and by its consumption, they suffer from dysentery and different and by its consumption, they suffer from dysentery and different nutritional deficiency diseases.nutritional deficiency diseases.

In Andhra Pradesh, from the discussions with the migrant women, it In Andhra Pradesh, from the discussions with the migrant women, it is revealed that they eat one type of broken rice (the migrants call is revealed that they eat one type of broken rice (the migrants call these Kanaki) which is available @Rs 5/- to Rs6/- per kg in the these Kanaki) which is available @Rs 5/- to Rs6/- per kg in the market. market.

In AP, the brick-kiln factories use the polluted discharge water from In AP, the brick-kiln factories use the polluted discharge water from the factories for making bricks and the migrant workers suffer from the factories for making bricks and the migrant workers suffer from various skin diseases and colic by using such water.various skin diseases and colic by using such water.

Health status of the migrant womenHealth status of the migrant women

The health status of the migrant women is The health status of the migrant women is generally weak due to their low economic generally weak due to their low economic status. status.

They are affected by different diseases They are affected by different diseases like diarrhea, dehydration and fever like diarrhea, dehydration and fever frequently. frequently.

The migrant women do not have money to The migrant women do not have money to purchase nutritious food and good purchase nutritious food and good medicines to recover early. medicines to recover early.

Availability of government facilities at the worksite

All the respondents of Bolangir and Nuapada told that no facilities All the respondents of Bolangir and Nuapada told that no facilities from the government side are provided to the migrants at the work from the government side are provided to the migrants at the work site. site.

As they do not have any insurance or registration, on death, the As they do not have any insurance or registration, on death, the owner of the brick kiln or the government gives no compensation to owner of the brick kiln or the government gives no compensation to their family. their family.

The rate of rice, kerosene etc is high and the migrant families end The rate of rice, kerosene etc is high and the migrant families end up spending all the weekly earnings in the purchase of food items.up spending all the weekly earnings in the purchase of food items.

Problems of migrant womenProblems of migrant women

Adjustment problems - The women do not know Hindi and Telugu Adjustment problems - The women do not know Hindi and Telugu language and it is very difficult for them to communicate with others. language and it is very difficult for them to communicate with others.

Loss of status - The migrant women are looked down upon in their Loss of status - The migrant women are looked down upon in their own community and village. own community and village.

Health hazards - Hard work results in frequent fever and poor health Health hazards - Hard work results in frequent fever and poor health condition, which increases the incidences of maternal mortality rate condition, which increases the incidences of maternal mortality rate and low birth weight children. and low birth weight children.

Social problems Social problems

In the absence of her husband, the woman/ wife manages the

household with much difficulty. For schooling of the children, the expenditure on books and clothes For schooling of the children, the expenditure on books and clothes

is high, for which she has to take loan from othersis high, for which she has to take loan from others..For the health and education of her children, she has to face For the health and education of her children, she has to face difficulties alone.difficulties alone.

Overall she is faced with difficulties in the absence of her husband Overall she is faced with difficulties in the absence of her husband due to lack of money, lack of wage labour to support the family due to lack of money, lack of wage labour to support the family needs, lack of security etc.needs, lack of security etc.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION So conclude with gratitude for thisSo conclude with gratitude for this

opportunity given to me and thank to ordinanceopportunity given to me and thank to ordinance for their very presence. I invite all of you in yourfor their very presence. I invite all of you in your daily life to become part of this mission.daily life to become part of this mission. To restore families to challenge the society forTo restore families to challenge the society for a better living. Because family is the basic unita better living. Because family is the basic unit of our society. Family welfare must become ourof our society. Family welfare must become our focal point to experience peace and happinessfocal point to experience peace and happiness in the family and society.in the family and society.  

THANK YOU