4. Discussion of Findings - Reasons for Not Reporting
Although many of the persons with disabilities interviewed for this study reported having experienced various kinds of human rights abuses and violations, few had reported them to the authorities. The lack of knowledge on agencies or lack of contact with such bodies like lawyers/police or higher authorities like Courts could be some of the prominent reasons for the Persons with Disabilities not to report the kind of abuses they were facing, especially with government as well as society.
| Reason | Number of Interviewees | Percentage of Interviewees |
|---|---|---|
| Corruption | 1 | 0.89 |
| Fear | 7 | 6.25 |
| Lack of Access | 5 | 4.46 |
| Lack of Financial Means | 1 | 0.89 |
| Nothing Would have Happened | 21 | 18.75 |
| Self-Blame | 5 | 4.46 |
It can be seen from the Data that highest number of Interviewees decided not to report the abuse or discrimination they were facing because they were under a strong impression that nothing would have happened, no one from the society was willing to help them or the government officials were more often than not quite offensive. For example, one person says:
What will anyone do if I were to tell them also, my life is like a dying leaf on a tree, ready to die at any moment and fall down, that is how my life is too.
Or another person who has retreated very deep into self-blame,
I cannot pick a fight with them or shout at them, no matter what they say or not, my life is not good that is why I have to endure all this pain and suffering, that is what I think.
As far as government personnel are concerned, some of the discrimination and abuse people with disabilities have to face in the offices can be exemplified thus,
If I were to protest their word, they say a few more strong words, they react even more strongly, saying, hey you girl, shut up, don’t say anything, you don’t have any legs, you be careful how you use your mouth.
The other strong reason for respondents not to report the abuses suffered from the others is because they feared the consequences of revealing their conditions of lives to others, like this person who said,
I do not speak to my parents about any problem that I might face because I am afraid they would beat me up. That has been my experience earlier when I did share with them my problems, I was beaten up several times by them, and whenever they behave like that I feel so depressed that I feel like killing myself.
Or this person who did not report an abuse experienced at work place,
If I fight this kind of argument then I would no longer be called for work also. So I do not argue with them and take whatever wages they are willing to give me.
Self-Blame and Lack of Access were the other reasons which were cited by the Interviewees but there are very few incidences of the same. When it comes to Lack of Financial means or Corruption are concerned, there are not more than one or two incidents of the same reported.
Self Blame: I thought this is how my life is going to be, how it is going to go on for the rest of my days, this is what I have been fated by God, this is my Karma, and felt quite wretched.
Lack of Access: I did not meet a person who could understand what I wanted to say, there was no one to ask me anything so I did not tell anyone anything, I am quite happy to go anywhere and talk but I did not meet anyone who could speak the sign language, so that they can understand me.