Desperation and Panic Grief of Women Migrants During COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Women migrants are unreasonably vulnerable to violence, abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and detention at all phases of the migration process. One of the most fear-provoking aspects of the pandemic is that it has driven people to desperation and panic grief. According to census 2011, there are 455.78 million migrants in India [1] and marriage was the reason for 46% for their migratory process and 97% were women [2]. Lack of available food, fear of not able to reach home due to instability in the transportation system, familial separation, and many more that resulted in risking the livelihood of many migrant workers. The pandemic situation has been worsening, risking the life and livelihood of many migrant workers resulted in massive reverse migration, witnessed at a larger scale throughout India. The present study discusses the forms of trauma found among the women migrants during pandemic and their experience of dealing with the situation. A qualitative method of enquiry was adopted as an experimental design and interviewed 45 women migrant workers through the Convenient Sampling Method in Chennai and Coimbatore Districts of Tamil Nadu. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis and represented as themes and verbatim. The task-centered practice model is adopted as a theoretical base in conducting this study. The findings stressed a multilateral approach with government, labour welfare department, educational institutions, the employment sector, the health sector, NGOs, orphanage homes, and the policymakers in addressing their needs and assisting them to overcome the unprecedented crisis.