Male Suicides Account For 70% Of Total Suicide Rate In India; Yet We Do Not Have Men’s Commission

Love affairs, bankruptcy, family problems, illness are the top reasons why a man decides to end his life. As per a report by the DNA in 2010, the numbers of suicide rate tallied to 1,25,017 in India. The report stated, one married man commits suicide every nine minutes in our country.

While accessing the total number of suicides in 2008, the married mens’ statistics were to 57,639. This was an indication how men were more vulnerable than women when it came to taking extreme steps. Men had different reasons to end their lives, of which the mounting pressure of social and economic reasons, played an important role.

According to the data of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), the overall male-female ratio of 2008 was 64:36. The suicide rate in 2008 increased by 19.4% than that in 1998, as the figures suggested. Between 2007 through 2008, the rate went up by 1.9% compared to the 2007 numbers – 1,22,637. The same can be attributed to Lehman Brothers meltdown, which resulted in huge unemployment globally.

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In the next two years, the overall increase in cases involving women was 355, while it was 2,187 for the men. As per figures, the increase in suicide rate amongst the male gender was six times more than that of women in 2008-2010. Save Family Foundation (SFF), an organization that fights for men undergoing family problems and domestic violence, had issued a statement back then stating,

Every nine minutes a married man is committing suicide in India. Are we ignoring our men too much or burdening them with too many responsibilities?

The ratio of men would be much more than women, however, in the case of the girls-boys ratio, the girls are more likely to die of suicide. Dr. Shelja Sen in her statement then quoted,

The intensity of depression among women or adolescent girls is different from boys and men. Attempting to die of suicide often provides relief from depression among females, it doesn’t happen the same way with men. So when they attempt suicide, it is more serious and harsh, and results in death.

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The NCRB data, back then, showed the suicide rates, wherein:

• 15-29 years was 35.7%
• Lower middle-aged people in the 30-44 age group were 34.8% who were more likely to end their lives
• The reasons for men dying of suicide were family problems (23.8%), and illness (21.9%)
• Other than this, love affairs (3.0%), bankruptcy, dowry dispute, and poverty (2.4%) were other reasons for individuals to end life

A Decade Later 

Nothing much changed after a decade. The suicide rate for men still remained higher. According to a report published by The Tribune, in 2018 revealed the latest statics of suicide rate in India. The overall number of suicide deaths was 1,33,623 in a year. If we put that into simple math, the average will result into 366 suicide deaths every day or 15 in an hour. However, once again shockingly the percentage of suicide deaths for men were way higher amounting to nearly 70 percent of total suicide deaths in India.

The total number of suicide deaths summed upto 1,33,623. Out of this:

• 91,528 or 68.49% were men
• 42,088 or 31.51% were women

The number of suicides by men has risen from:

• Year 2000: 66,032
• Year 2008: 80,544
• Year 2018: 91,528

The number of male deaths from suicides is nearly double than that of females.

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If the data is segregated state wise, then the highest number of suicide deaths are in Maharashtra with 16,970 deaths, followed by Tamil Nadu with 15,777 and Bengal with 14,602 deaths.

According to the health data, the age group from 30 to 45 is more likely to die of suicide. The major reason according to the WHO is mental health. It also asked its members to ensure employers factor in mental health when crafting recruitment policies.

Our Take:

• The above article is not to portray how men are dying more than women
• Suicide is an extreme step, which can be taken by either genders due to several reasons
• Domestic dispute, problems in marriage or abusive relationships are largely primary reasons where individuals feel its the end of the road for them
• However, the objective to project the above statistics is to amplify, how #MenToo go through equal or perhaps more painful stress, since they are less expressive, unlike women
• We have various women cells, numerous women’s rights NGOs, social forums, media support, society support, encouragement not to bear abuse in any form — all these for women who need help
• However, Government of India does not even have a basic Men’s Commission or Family Welfare Ministry which can deal or guide Men in distress who equally suffer horrible times
• While we strive to achieve gender balance, we as a society, do not believe in even acknowledging that a man can face harassment at home
• All we want to live with is how only and only the women are victims, leaving our men to have no choice
• Whenever a woman dies, we instantly relate it to harassment by in-laws, however, when a man dies, we give several professional or mental reasons on how he should have remained strong and not give up

ALSO READ –

http://voiceformenindia.com/in-the-news/male-suicide-rate-three-times-higher-than-female-suicide-due-to-marital-family-related-problems-kerala-ncrb-2018/

http://voiceformenindia.com/in-the-news/suicide/neeraj-dutt-suicide-case-gurugram/

http://voiceformenindia.com/his-story/swaroop-raj-genpact/

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