Loss, Trauma and Suicidal Ideation among Women Living in a Shelter

Stress is very common phenomenon among women living in shelter. the present study is concern with the loss, trauma and suicidal ideation among women living in shelter. Between 2002 and 2010, life histories, interviews and information obtained from standardized rating scales, had indicated significant distress among women living in a rehabilitation home in South Bangalore. The aim of the present investigation was to examine factors related to the distress and to assess the suicidal ideation. The sample consisted of 93 women in the age range of 16 to 47 years (Mean age: 20.38 years). 33 women had been raised in orphanages from a young age and the rest had been placed in the shelter by family members. A semistructured interview and Beck's Scale for Suicide Ideation were used to collect information. Results revealed that 65% of women who had experienced disintegration of their families and 24.24% of women raised in institutions were significantly distressed. Interviews revealed multiple themes related to loss, abuse and trauma in childhood and adolescence. Loss of parents, loss of home, physical and psychological abuse, neglect and deprivation were reported as particularly traumatic. Subjects who reported such experiences scored higher on the scale for suicide ideation. The findings indicate that women living in shelters may be vulnerable for developing serious emotional problems especially if they have experienced adverse childhood experiences. The findings imply that it is necessary to screen women living in shelters for trauma and suicidal ideation in order to plan effective interventions.