POLICY SERIES FCPP POLICY SERIES NO. 121 • DECEMBER 2011 P OLICYS ERIES FRONTIER CENTRE FOR PUBLIC POLICY • POLICY SERIES NO. 121 • DECEMBER 2011 Suicide Among Young Women of South Asian Origin By Aruna Papp 1 © 2011 SUICIDE AMONG YOUNG WOMEN OF SOUTH ASIAN ORIGIN FRONTIERFOR CENTRE PUBLIC POLICY SUICIDE AMONG YOUNG WOMEN OF SOUTH ASIAN ORIGIN POLICY SERIES About the author Aruna Papp Aruna is a survivor of Honour Based Violence and forced marriage. She arrived in Canada with a grade three education and lived in an abusive marriage for 18 years. For the past 30 years she was worked as a Counsellor/Therapist and at present she is with Family Services of York Region, Ontario. As a consultant she conducts workshops on cultural competency for Police Officers and frontline practitioners in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. Aruna has founded three agencies that assist families dealing with domestic violence. She has written extensively on issues facing new immigrants and is a columnist for two magazines, The Newcomer and Desi. Aruna has volunteered on numerous boards and committees including the Board of Governors of Centennial College and Centenary Hospital. Her forthcoming book Unworthy Creature: A Daughter’s Memoir of Honour, Shame, and Love is being published by McClelland & Stewart (Spring 2012). Aruna is the recipient of eleven prestigious awards including the “Women of Distinction Award,” “The Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada,” and “Life Time Achievement Award” from the South Asian Community. Aruna Papp is author of Culturally-Driven Violence Against Women, published by the Frontier Centre. FRONTIER CENTRE www.fcpp.org FOR PUBLIC POLICY Email: [email protected] MB: 203-2727 Portage Avenue, SK: 2353 McIntyre Street, AB: Ste. 1280–300, 5th Avenue SW Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3J 0R2 Regina, Saskatchewan Canada S4P 2S3 Calgary, Alberta Canada T2P 3C4 Tel: 204-957-1567 Tel: 306-352-2915 Tel: 403-995-9916 The Frontier Centre for Public Policy is an independent, non-profit organization that undertakes research and education in support of economic growth and social outcomes that will enhance the quality of life in our communities. Through a variety of publications and public forums, the Centre explores policy innovations required to make the prairies region a winner in the open economy. It also provides new insights into solving important issues facing our cities, towns and provinces. These include improving the performance of public expenditures in important areas like local government, education, health and social policy. The author of this study has worked independently and the opinions expressed are therefore their own, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the board of the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. Copyright © MMXI by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. Date of First Issue: December 2011. Reproduced here with permission of the author. Any errors or omissions and the accuracy and completeness of this paper remain the responsibility of the author. ISSN 1491-78 2 © 2011 FCPP POLICY SERIES NO. 121 • DECEMBER 2011 FRONTIERFOR CENTRE PUBLIC POLICY POLICY SERIES FCPP POLICYI deasSERIES for NO. a 121better • DECEMBER tomorrow 2011 FCPP Policy Series No. 121 • December 2011 Suicide Among Young Women of South Asian Origin By Aruna Papp Table of Contents Title Page Introduction 4 Who are South Asians? 6 Suicide among South Asian females 7 The social implications 9 Shame and stigma 12 Strategies for change 13 Policy recommendations 14 Conclusion 15 Note to reader: Some words in this document may appear in blue and are underlined. Clicking on these words will direct the reader to relevant sites or documents using your associated web-browser. 3 © 2011 SUICIDE AMONG YOUNG WOMEN OF SOUTH ASIAN ORIGIN FRONTIERFOR CENTRE PUBLIC POLICY SUICIDE AMONG YOUNG WOMEN OF SOUTH ASIAN ORIGIN POLICY SERIES Introduction Suicide rates in Canada are In Canada, suicide is the second-highest cause of death for youth aged 10 to 24. higher than are those in the In a survey of 15,000 Grades 7 to 12 students in British Columbia: United States, Australia, the 34 per cent knew of someone who had United Kingdom... attempted suicide or died by suicide; 16 per cent had seriously considered “Recently, I attended a memorial service for suicide; a 21-year-old South Asian woman who had 14 per cent had made a suicide plan; committed suicide. A note addressed to her parents said, “I am unable to please you and 7 per cent had made an attempt; and, be the kind of daughter you want me to be.” 2 per cent had required medical 3 I left the memorial service” determined to attention due to an attempt. examine the hopelessness that drove this These B.C. figures are not in isolation. young person to kill herself. Since then, Of 82 countries reporting suicide statistics, I have discovered that young South Asian Canada ranks number 26, placing it in the women living in Western countries have the top third of countries with the highest highest rate of suicides, attempted suicides, suicide rate for all age groups.4 Suicide and other acts of self-harm compared with rates in Canada are higher than are South Asian men and white women.1 those in the United States, Australia, the Adolescence is a time of dramatic change. United Kingdom and many other Western 5 The journey from child to adult can be countries. Ontario Public Health report, complex and challenging. Young people often November 2009, stated that the economic feel tremendous pressure to succeed at cost to Ontario related to suicide and self school, at home and in the society of their harm was $842-million associated with 6 peers. Young South Asian immigrant 1,021 deaths and 7,052 hospitalizations. women growing up in Canada face unique In Ontario, the Coalition for Children and problems of social and educational adjust- Youth Mental Health (CCYMH), a network ment because of their immersion in cultural of 26 province-wide groups, was recently paradigms that differ—and often conflict created. Its goal is to bring a sense of with—the social values and individual urgency and action to the “sleeping giant” rights-based ideals that dominate Canada’s of mental health issues among the province’s educational and cultural landscape. children and youth. The coalition invited International expert on the impact of each of the political parties to create a plan culture on mental health, Dr. Kwame and to mount strategies to cope with the McKenzie stated that “women from the problems as they are credibly identified 7 South Asian’s diaspora are at high risk and quantified. of suicide—but are less likely to have the common warning signs—and so suicide prevention is more difficult.”2 4 © 2011 FCPP POLICY SERIES NO. 121 • DECEMBER 2011 FRONTIERFOR CENTRE PUBLIC POLICY POLICY SERIES FCPP POLICY SERIES NO. 121 • DECEMBER 2011 The CCYMH uncovered some troubling The purpose of figures for the status of the mental health of Ontario children. Ten per cent of Ontario this paper youth have admitted to having tried to kill themselves, and one in five children suffers The objective of this paper is threefold: from mental illness. However, 80 per cent illuminate the strong correlation between of those afflicted do not receive treatment. cultural imperatives and elevated suicide Another troubling fact arises from a study statistics among young South Asian women conducted by the Ontario school boards in Canada; shed light on persisting practices in 2009. “[Ninety-six] per cent of [mental within South Asian culture that are quite health professionals] reported that they retrograde and even barbaric in nature; were ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ concerned about and establish a benchmark for direction mental health issues, especially anxiety, to further research, program, and policy mood problems, low self-esteem and development that will fully enfranchise thoughts of suicide.”8 young South Asian women as Canadians. While a large number of those who attempt suicide do have mental illness, mental illness alone does not cause suicide. Other factors contribute to suicide: substance abuse, biological and neurobiological factors, socio-economic status and life events. Family background, environmental and cultural influences also have an impact on an individual’s decision to end his or her life. Young South Asian women living in Canada have been identified as a demographic group marked by increased conflict with their parents due to cultural disagreements.9 Although increased conflict during adoles- cence is a relevant concern across Canada, issues affecting young South Asian women in particular need to be explored, as there is limited research regarding problems among them.10 Girls in this demographic group face many more difficulties in their adaptation process than do boys because of the patriarchal nature of South Asian families. They often experience the full pressure in the conflict of values between home and school in the domain of personal autonomy, relationships with boys and the pursuit of their vocational aspirations. Some girls cannot cope with the psychological tension and have suffered from psychosomatic illnesses such as bulimia and anorexia, and they have attempted suicide.11 5 © 2011 SUICIDE AMONG YOUNG WOMEN OF SOUTH ASIAN ORIGIN FRONTIERFOR CENTRE PUBLIC POLICY SUICIDE AMONG YOUNG WOMEN OF SOUTH ASIAN ORIGIN POLICY SERIES Who are South Asians? Individuals of South Asian origin make up However, despite variation in geographic the second-largest non-European ethnic origins, religion and languages, South group in Canada. Thus, what plagues the Asians share values and attitudes toward South Asian community has significance for family, community and social networks. the larger Canadian population. In 2001, Among all of them, great emphasis is over one million people of South Asian placed on the preservation of ethnic origin lived in Canada, representing about customs, traditions and heritage language.