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Balm for bruised adolescent souls
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The adolescent scenario is complicated. With a change in value systems, where thrill and fun are the watchwords, adolescents are stalking danger. Genderline, says LEELA MENON, is helping teens overcome such troubles and offering solace
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THERE are organisations galore to help oppressed and
deserted married women. But none for teens. Genderline, a project of the Development Action through Self-Help Network, (DARSHN), a Kochi-based NGO, was also into helping married women, but is shifting focus to heal the bruised souls of adolescent girls now, in the context of moral and behavioural crises faced by them.
Especially since there is no effective programme to equip the adolescent girl to face the crisis without even familial or peer support.
DARSHN is in the process of crafting a programme targeting adolescent girls, with a view to empowering them to triumph over their troubles. No longer anchored to traditional values or cocooned by a caring and involved family support system, adolescents are increasingly cast adrift in society.
What complicates the adolescent scenario is the transformation in the teens' value system. Its axis is fun. Thrill has replaced tradition. And adolescents are perennially stalking thrills, however cheap they are.
Psychiatrists and clinical psychologists are unanimous in admitting that adolescence is indeed in a crisis in Kerala, where working parents do not have time or sensitivity to notice the traumas of their children.
Parents lavish care on the health and studies of children, which in their mind, absolves them of guilt. The emotional or psychological traumas that characterise adolescence do not figure in their scheme of things. Until it is too late.
DARSHN Genderline was originally set up in 1998 to offer help to resolve marital problems or other problems faced by women. ''Since its inception three years ago, at least 10,000 women have approached us for help. And we have offered need-based help, like advice, legal help or psychological counselling. Most of the cases were related to domestic violence. There are various institutions, like the Women's Commission, to help them, but there is none to help the adolescent. Hence the shift in our focus,'' explains Dr.Jacob Thomas, IPS, former Director of Womens Commission and Chairperson of DARSHN.
DARSHN has a convincing track record in resolving marital conflicts or domestic abuse. According to counsellors at DARSHN, quite a few Kerala men are suspicious of their wives, leading them to batter and harass them. They were given counselling and when a case is intractable, divorce is suggested. Even women are not immune to this suspicion syndrome. ''We know one woman who beats up her husband, suspecting him of being a terrorist. She claimed that even the WTO attack was engineered by him and that he was an underworld Don and has stacks of explosives,'' Sreedhanya Hrishikesan of DARSHN commented.
What are the problems adolescents face which compelled the shift in focus? ''Mostly relationship problems, and girls entering into casual sex with a driver, a salesman, a shopowner or a waiter in an ice cream parlour. Casual sex is a developing trend among adolescent girls now and the consequences can be grave, both psychologically and health wise. But girls are ignorant of all this,'' Jacob Thomas warns.
It is not only the possibility of HIV/AIDS alone but the
emotional `cul de sac' that girls may enter in future.
Genderline received 11 cases of girls last year alone.
``Adolescents have to adjust to the role society accords them, to their role as defined and interpreted by peers, personal problems and biological peculiarities. Girls even come to us worried about a flat chest and depressed as a result,'' says
Sreedhanya.
DARSHN has to hold adolescent hands and guide their steps to the correct psychologist or the correct beauty counsellor.
Adolescent girls are also extra-sensitive to parental control and wary of parental disapproval. Conflict between parents and adolescent girls are becoming increasingly common.
Adolescent girls from affluent families find options to ventilate heir stress but poor girls have no solutions. They need a third party who is a total stranger to share their problems.
Genderline plans to develop and maintain a support system for adolescent girls and young women, help them develop skills and attitudes to empower them and prevent deprivations or psychological scars as a result of casual or multiple sex.
``We plan to empower them to face challenges in adult life and
provide them with emotional/mental support. By acting
as a link between girls and their parents, we can give
support to both. We also help the girls develop self-esteem, self-confidence, problem-solving skills, life and social skills.
DARSHN aims to achieve all these through tie-ups with five resource persons competent in the area of adolescence who can be career counsellor, clinical psychologist, psychiatrist gynecologist, educational consultant and advocate.
``Girls indulge in casual sex and worry about pregnancy later,'' Sreedhanya remarked. ''We plan to hold awareness classes in schools and colleges. Seminars are also planned to be conducted
for them. All colleges and higher secondary schools in Kochi
city will be identified and letters will be sent to the principals about the services available, so that a tie-up can be made. Parent-Teacher Associations will be part of the programme. At least two hours classes for girls above the age of 13 will be held in their own classrooms. Helpline service will also be
provided for adolescent girls over phone, be it emotional distress, relationship problems, academic stress, concerns about future, body image or sexual identity,'' she added. Most importantly, DARSHN is offering a genderline website on which adolescent girls can ask questions or express their concerns. Reply will be given on personal e-mail. This is with a view to spare the shy a face-to-face. A faceless third party is the ideal instrument to offer solutions to confused adolescents, DARSHN feels.
Career counselling workshops, database for career opportunities, training programmes in schools, colleges, and women's hostels to develop life and social skills will be part of the programme. #Family life education, premarital counselling, social skills,
and legal literacy are also planned to be given. ``Besides women identified as having certain career goals during the counselling will be put in touch with skilled practitioners of that trade. Computer, web-designing etc. are also part of the adolescents occupational package,'' Mr Thomas said.
Genderline is indeed charting a new path to adolescence. And framing a new value-based life.
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