EXPLORING THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF FEMALE SUICIDE IN DISTRICT CHITRAL, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The study titled exploring the social determinants of female suicide in district Chitral, Pakistan was conducting with the sole aim of exploring the various social and cultural factors responsible for women suicide. A sample size of 165 out 534 female graduate students’ from seven girls degree collages were randomly selected. A conceptual frame work comprising independent variable social determinants was cross tabulated with dependent variable “female suicide” through the application of χ2-test-statistics. The study found that, freedom of choice for male ignorance of parents with regards to children feelings (p<0.05); family dispute terming female suicide on accident (p<0.05); patriarchal family system leads towards suicide (p<0.05); suicide as ancestral familial event with lesser social condemnation was found significantly (p<0.05) related to female suicide. The study concluded that, parent’s ignorant attitudes regarding committing suicide as an ancestral phenomena to be pure familial in nature. It was found as an outcome of patriarchal norms, and people were reluctant in coaxing it as anti-social norms. Parental education on women needs and rights and exploring the very causes committing suicide by the law enforcing agencies were put forward as possible remedies for the containment of this social/religious and moral taboo.