Economic abuse, through the eyes of five Patna women

The documentary is part of a project examining the impact of COVID-19 on women’s empowerment in Bihar, and follows interviews with 50 women from a range of backgrounds

Poster of the documentary titled: SPENT: Fighting economic abuse in India. Photo: Special Arrangement

“He said that I should get a job because he wouldn’t bear the expenses of having a daughter,” says one woman. “After they had taken everything, they forcibly removed me from the house,” says another, voice shaking. “He took my ATM pin... Each and every second was like hell,” declares a third.

These voices are among those captured in a 20-minute documentary titled, SPENT: Fighting economic abuse in India, which was screened in Patna’s Jagjivan Ram Research Institute auditorium on Friday. The film’s director Punita Choubey, who is also a senior research scholar at the U.K.’s Sheffield Hallam University, and cinematographer Rajesh Raj were present on the occasion, along with Nivedita Jha and Situ Tiwari who acted in the film. Funded by the University and the Global Challenges Research Fund, the film was part of a project examining the impact of COVID-19 on women’s empowerment in Bihar.

From those beaten for not working to others stripped of any financial autonomy, the film documents the lives of five Patna women from a wide range of socio-economic, caste, and religious backgrounds, and follows interview with 50 others, showcasing their resilience in the face of economic abuse. “Economic abuse is a form of domestic violence... It involves control of a woman’s economic and financial resources through sabotage, exploitation and restriction,” the film explains.

‘Most dangerous’

“Through the struggles of five women, the documentary essentially tells the story of women in India facing economic abuse,” Dr. Choubey said.

“Very few people know about economic abuse in the life of women... All the women whose stories are in this documentary are from our neighborhood. Such documentaries reflect what happens in our society,” says Ms. Jha, an eminent theatre artist and writer. “Through this documentary, we came to know how this economic abuse is more dangerous than all other abuses in the life of women. If the life of women is to be made better, they should be given the chance to stand up on their own feet,” adds Ms. Tiwari, a journalist.

The film’s music has been composed by Shilpi Jha, but its lyrics are borrowed from the timeless songs of Bhikhari Thakur, famously known as the ‘Shakespeare of Bhojpuri’.