Men in India are experiencing a concerning surge in vulnerability to suicide, particularly among married individuals. Recent data analysis, utilizing information from the National Crime Records Bureau, highlights a troubling trend. Let us look at the
data in male suicide rates in India.
The statistics reveal a stag- gering 166% increase in sui- cide cases among daily wage earners in India between 2014, where there were 15,735 reported cases, and 2021, which saw a distressing rise to 41,997 cases. Even more alarming is the 170.7% spike in deaths among
male daily wage earners, which surged from 13,944 in 2014 to 37,751 in 2021.
Additionally, data from The Lancet Regional Health indicates a noteworthy shift in the male-to-female ratio of suicides.
This ratio has risen from 1.9 to 2.4 between 2014 and 2021 for daily wage earners and from 2.5 to 3.2 for the broad-er male population. This indicates that, relative to women, more men are resorting to sui- cide.
Observed factors:
The primary factors driving this alarming trend appear to be family problems and health issues. Between 2014 and 2021, there was a significant
107.5% increase in reports of family problems for men. This rate was nearly double the rate than among women.
Notably, the suicide rates among currently married men stands at 24.3, a staggering three times higher than the rate among currently married women, which is 8.4.
This rise in male vulnerbility to suicide is not limited to married individuals; it is evident among both married and nevermarried men, and it far surpasses the increase observed among women.
The increasing number of male suicides raises concerns that warrant further research to better understand the underlying stressors pushing men to take such extreme measures.