Not Just A Health Crisis

Covid-19 and its impact bring several fault lines to the fore, says Prakriti Poddar,Mental Health Expert, and Director, Poddar Wellness Ltd, Managing Trustee of Poddar Foundation

- Prakriti Poddar

Till as early as February, most people were busy planning their lives ahead – from a job change to wedding plans, to a vacation — life was going on at its normal pace. The Coronavirus outbreak suddenly meant an end to life as we knew it. With major uncertainty surrounding the future, fear of catching the disease, and anxiety over its financial implications, the crisis has impacted the mental wellbeing of a large number of people. Having put a huge strain on the economy, the lockdown has already spelled the beginning of job losses and revenue drops. The worst affected are the daily wage earners who are struggling to feed their families. With everyone confined to their homes and consuming non-stop news about new hotspots emerging and the disease graph rising, people are also finding it tough to cope with the self isolation. The crisis has not just created a health scare but has also brought several faultlines to the fore – be it social, familial or workplace related.

Key challenges that we are seeing are:

Intimate Partner Violence Intimate partner violence is the violence towards the vulnerable partner in the relationship. Being confined to the house has caused tremendous pressure and frustration, and is often released on the vulnerable through violence, both sexually and physically. In the current situation, the repercussions of violence increase, as there is no escape.

Our helpline has received calls of distress, which we counsel; however, most will not dial a 103 number to get the authorities involved, and often continue to live with the deprivation of human rights.