Female drug users, India
India has the largest number of heroin users in Asia. The women who use drugs are at increased risk from HIV and violence, but they’re ‘missing’ from official national data and so their needs largely go unmet.
WINGS is a harm reduction initiative in Delhi, Manipur and Pune, the first of its kind to address all the risks faced by female drug users.
Produced for Frontline AIDS. All participants were kept anonymous except for staff, due to high levels of stigma.
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Heroin, or chitta, brown sugar or number four, is common across India given its proximity to the ‘Golden Triangle’ and ‘Golden Crescent’ and the associated flows of heroin.
Heroin, or chitta, brown sugar or number four, is common across India given its proximity to the ‘Golden Triangle’ and ‘Golden Crescent’ and the associated flows of heroin.
The Delhi WINGS team - Indu, 20, Vinita, 27 and Nehu, 27.
Anika,15, (name changed) injects two different forms of morphine.
“I share a shot with a friend. We look for a peddler, they usually wear red and stand in the doorway of a betting or pawn shop.
He sells a red version and a sparkly version.”
“I share a shot with a friend. We look for a peddler, they usually wear red and stand in the doorway of a betting or pawn shop.
He sells a red version and a sparkly version.”
Pemu Bhutia from Alliance India oversees WINGS in India.
Female-friendly services are essential as women struggle to get through the door of traditional, male-dominated, centres.
“If she can get away from the house without being questioned or accompanied, and she can get across to the building without neighbours seeing, and she can pass through the crowd of guys in the doorway, she then has to sit in an intimating male environment until she is seen.”
Female-friendly services are essential as women struggle to get through the door of traditional, male-dominated, centres.
“If she can get away from the house without being questioned or accompanied, and she can get across to the building without neighbours seeing, and she can pass through the crowd of guys in the doorway, she then has to sit in an intimating male environment until she is seen.”
Nearly 40% of female suicides occur in India.
Early marriage, male violence and patriarchal culture are often to blame - many of the same reasons women state for using drugs. Pari (name changed) was forced to marry her violent husband when she was 15.
Early marriage, male violence and patriarchal culture are often to blame - many of the same reasons women state for using drugs. Pari (name changed) was forced to marry her violent husband when she was 15.
“I was 15 when I got married,” says Samaira (name changed).
India has the highest number of child brides in the world. Samaira was forced to marry after she got into a car under the pretence of going to buy a phone charger.
She left when her son was two months old. Her ‘husband’ came and took the child. “That's when I started using drugs.”
India has the highest number of child brides in the world. Samaira was forced to marry after she got into a car under the pretence of going to buy a phone charger.
She left when her son was two months old. Her ‘husband’ came and took the child. “That's when I started using drugs.”
Samaira, her sister, and their mother and father all use heroin 4-5 times a day.
“This wrap is one shot’s worth,” says Samaira, “and this one is about four,” says her father, Dhruv (name changed).
“This wrap is one shot’s worth,” says Samaira, “and this one is about four,” says her father, Dhruv (name changed).
Dhruv is a builder and carpenter.
“I take drugs, but I keep enough money for the home. It is through my hard work that I am able to do both.
Because I’m an addict people think I taught my daughters how to do it, I haven’t.”
“I take drugs, but I keep enough money for the home. It is through my hard work that I am able to do both.
Because I’m an addict people think I taught my daughters how to do it, I haven’t.”
“My friends are very close with their mothers, we don’t have that closeness.
We are never given any advice and we haven’t been taught how to do the household tasks, says Samaira.
We are never given any advice and we haven’t been taught how to do the household tasks, says Samaira.
Samaira has another sister, Amoli, 22, who recently moved back home when her marriage ended.
"We are really looked down on as ‘a family of addicts’. I am too ashamed to even go out of the house."
"We are really looked down on as ‘a family of addicts’. I am too ashamed to even go out of the house."
Amoli has returned home with her three year old son. “I don’t think he understands.”
“The hardest thing is watching them fixing it, one after the other, over and over, 16-20 times a day.”
“The hardest thing is watching them fixing it, one after the other, over and over, 16-20 times a day.”
Samaira's mother and older sister prepare dinner between 'hits'.
Anita is a WINGS outreach worker in Manipur. She visits Samaira's family weekly.
Preeti (name changed) has the typical routine of a new mother - plenty of feeds, cuddles and nappy changes, along with injecting heroin twice a day.
Preeti rents a small, brightly decorated room with her husband of three years, in central Imphal, Manipur.
Their daughter was born four months ago, and the room exudes the warmth of a happy family home.
Baby blankets, towels and clothes are drying or stacked up neatly, pictures and pans hang on the walls and there’s a big pot of lunch on the go.
Their daughter was born four months ago, and the room exudes the warmth of a happy family home.
Baby blankets, towels and clothes are drying or stacked up neatly, pictures and pans hang on the walls and there’s a big pot of lunch on the go.
Preeti's husband is supportive but his parents needed more convincing. The WINGS team have helped to smooth things over. "I'm not sure they like me but I'm allowed into their home now," says Preeti.
Pintoo, the Manipur's WINGS coordinator, holding the couple's baby.
Pintoo, the Manipur's WINGS coordinator, holding the couple's baby.
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