Caste, Space, and the Shrunk Self: A Biopsychosocial Synthesis of Trauma and Resilience in Dalit Women

Abstract

In India, the Dalit women belong to the Scheduled Castes and constitute 16.6% of women as per the latest census data. They are known to be suffering from the effects of untouchability, caste differentiation and gender inequality as factors that contribute to the psychological well-being of Dalit women. Dalit women happen to suffer from multiple sources of discrimination, including prejudice and violence stemming from both their status as women and as members of the lower-caste community. This makes way for increased levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as lower life satisfaction compared to women belonging to higher-caste communities. A majority of Dalit women are known to be working as domestic servants or scavengers and happen to be facing levels of exploitation and violence that are many a times higher compared to women belonging to upper-castes. NFHS5 data also reveal that chronic anaemia is prevalent (about 56-58%) among Dalit women and that their life expectancy is approximately 15 years lower than that of women belonging to higher castes, largely due to lack of nutrition and lack of access to healthcare facilities. This systematic review will investigate the multi-dimensional factors influencing the Quality of Life (QoL) of Dalit women within the Indian context to suggest how a conventional, neoliberal assessment of quality-of-life compromises in consideration of the "intersectional invisibility" and "structural entrapment". The significance of political identity, as well as collective action, is presented in this article as contributing to the factors of resilience that tend to compensate for stressful events that affect the everyday lives of the modern-day social scenario of Dalit Women.