Dsa 2012-14 Victim of Disability

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DSA 2012-14 
 
 
 
 
Victim of Disability: 
A Case Study 
Seminar Paper 
Submitted to: Dr. Sandhya Limaye
Submitted by: Ms. Manisha Shastri
2012DA013

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Victim of Disability: A Case Study
 
Abstract 
He sat there, tied to a pole under a green rexene sheet for shade, 
repeating the words ‘jeeva 
jeeva.’ His face covered in mud, his hands smeared in his own excrement, scarcely clothed, 
smiling from end to end, oblivious to his circumstances. 
The purpose of this paper is to illuminate upon how persons with disabilities become a victim 
of neglect, abuse and their circumstances (which are beyond their control) due to a lack of 
awareness about disability, stigma, stereotyping and a lack of social support. 
 
Introduction 
Across the world, persons with disabilities are the largest minority group devoid of services 
and facilities. As a result they are least nourished, healthy, educated or employed. They are 
subject to the long history of neglect, isolation, poverty, deprivation, charity and pity. The 
situation of persons with disabilities in India is not significantly different. The responsibility 
of care of persons with disabilities is generally left to their families and few institutions 
managed by voluntary organisations and government. Persons with Disability in India are 
mostly ignored by the society 
as they are seen as ‘dependents’, a ‘liability’ and 
‘unproductive.’ The Census of India, for the first time, enumerated persons with disabilities 
in 2001, according to which there are more than 21 million persons with disability within the 
country in contrast to the United Nations figure of 10 percent (Bhanushali, 2007). 
Historically, disabilities have been considered punishments for sins committed in a previous 
life by an individual or their family members. In some cases, families regard their children as 
“cursed” and a burden that they must deal with, which at times leads to the neglect and 
rejection of the child; the child might even be hidden from the community as the family fears 
they might be rejected by the community. According to the study done by the World Health 
Organization (2004) there are 31 million individuals with Intellectual Disabilities in India. 
Most individuals with Intellectual Disabilities in India have not formally been identified and 
even among those who have been identified, a majority are excluded and shunned by society. 
There is a lack of awareness about Intellectual Disabilities in India and most individuals 

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suffering from Intellectual disabilities as perceived 
to be and are labelled as ‘mad’. Ghai 
(2001) states that in India individuals with Intellectual disabilities are perceived as 
fundamentally ‘flawed’ and their capabilities are diminished, there by placing them at the 
bottom of the social structures.
Early experiences become essential in the growth and development of children. Things such 
as eating habits, attitudes towards self, exercise and self- care routines build from th
e child’s 
earliest experiences. One of the most important things children learn in the early years is 
about themselves 
–they develop a picture of themselves that affects the ways they approach 
any situation, task, or relationship with another person. In other words, they develop a self- 
concept. In order for a child to develop a healthy self- concept, it is essential that the child has 
positive and caring relationships, people who care for them and support them; adults who 
appreciate their uniqueness and respond to their feelings, needs and interests; and adults who 
help them learn how to control their behaviour and what behaviour is socially acceptable.