Raising Our Voices: Women, Trauma, and Recovery in India

The focus of this project is situated at the nexus of trauma, mental health and Indian women. The analysis developed explores the psychology of trauma, recovery from trauma, the lack of attention among mainstream psychology to the mental health issues of PoC (People of Color), the social psychological factors that play into healing, and how to best support and treat women of color—particularly in India—who have experienced trauma. The report on this project opens with a review of the literature on the two major diagnoses associated with trauma, depression and PTSD, and reports the findings of two interview projects conducted with Raising our Voices (ROV), a Non-Government Organization (NGO) in India that strives to work to support and treat girls and women who have faced trauma and atrocities, helping them to restart their lives. The first set of interviews are with clinicians at ROV, and examines the mental health facilities to which women in ROV have access. The second set of interviews explores the experiences of women currently residing with ROV. The findings from each chapter of this thesis are synthesized into an analysis of the future of mental health for Indian women. This project is presented as an academic ode to the women of India and women who are still unheard everyday of their lives