KABUL (SW) – In the tumultuous journey of life for women in Afghanistan, Salam Watandar uncovers the pain and suffering of 20 women and girls whose lives have been darkened by the addiction of male family members.
These women report experiencing not only physical and psychological violence and aggression from their families’ addicted members but also facing ridicule and humiliation in society.
According to these women, the addiction of family members has not only plunged their lives into extreme poverty and darkness, but it has also led to the addiction of other family members.
Salma, a 21-year-old woman, shares that her father’s addiction to drugs (hashish) has forced her to take on the responsibility of caring for her four younger siblings.
Additionally, Salma endures the heavy burden of her relatives’ taunts. She says: “They mock us a lot, saying your father is a drug addict; no one will come to marry you. It breaks my heart, and I tell them to stop, but it doesn’t work. If my father weren’t addicted, no one would insult us, and our economic situation would be better.”
Many women and girls who are victims of family addiction also share with Salam Watandar that this issue has caused them to miss out on education.
Samira, from Balkh, whose father is addicted to drugs, describes the painful consequences of this issue. She and her siblings had to leave school and work to meet their basic needs because their father spent his earnings on drugs. “My father is addicted, and we’ve suffered in every way. When you’re a child or a teenager, you can’t study properly. The food you want to eat or the clothes you want to buy, you have to work for it. And when you work, you have to leave school. My father spends his earnings on his addiction, and we are left with nothing.”
Tahmina, 22-year-old, whose father’s addiction has prevented her from pursuing her dream of becoming an engineer, shares her struggles: “There are five of us at home, and we all work to make ends meet. My father is in Iran and an addicted; he spends his money gambling and doesn’t help us. If he were here, he would take our daily wages too. When my mother had no money, he would fight with her and sell our household items.”
In addition to these hardships, women whose husbands or fathers are addicted to drugs also face public scorn and social isolation. Jamala, a 32-year-old woman who heads her seven-member household, shares the humiliation she endures because of her husband’s addiction.
She says: “If my husband were a good man, he would work hard. We can’t sit together with our relatives because they say my husband is an addict. If something goes missing in someone else’s house, they come to my house and accuse my husband of taking it. Sometimes, I even have to pay for lost items. Everywhere, people look at us badly, and I wish my husband wasn’t addicted, and we weren’t in this situation.”
Violence and abuse in addicted households, consequences
Many women report facing physical and psychological violence and aggression from their addicted family members. Najla, a woman whose husband is an addict and does not contribute to their family of ten, explains: “I am the breadwinner of the house. My husband is an addict, and sometimes he becomes angry and violent. When he faces hardships or unemployment, his behavior worsens; he becomes irrational, loses sleep, and gets mentally unstable.”
Sociologists believe that addiction in a family has a profound impact on its members. It can lead to social isolation and even the severing of relationships with other families. As the world of other family members becomes confined to the home, they face rejection from society and are at greater risk of developing addiction themselves.
Ahmad Rashed Sediqi, a university professor and sociologist, says: “Unfortunately, such issues are more prevalent in our society, and those who commit crimes are viewed negatively, and their families are seen the same way. This has a negative impact on the family members of the addict, such as causing social isolation and cutting them off from society. The government should take this matter seriously and punish those who cause these issues, as they lead to the deviation of other members of society.”
Husna Raufi, a women’s rights activist, emphasizes that in a country like Afghanistan, the addiction of male family members affects women more than in many other countries. She explains that in Afghanistan, the responsibility of head of the household generally falls on men, and women play more traditional roles. Thus, women suffer more from the consequences of male addiction.
She stresses: “Addiction is a serious problem in Afghanistan, and it is increasing daily. It affects the individual, their children, especially their wives, sisters and daughters, because the person who becomes addicted is usually the head of the household. Since most men are the heads of families in Afghanistan, when they become addicted, it negatively impacts their wives, daughters, and mothers, and prevents them from leading a better life.”
Psychologists also agree that addiction has a destructive impact on the social lives of family members. Shoaib Salangi, a psychologist, notes that the constant worry about having an unhealthy or addicted person in the family can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, and severe mental health disorders among family members. He urges the de-facto government to create and implement preventive programs to mitigate the harmful effects of an addict’s behavior on their family.
“Women whose family members—such as their fathers, brothers, husbands, or even children—are addicted, face immense psychological challenges. This situation can create chronic anxiety and stress because of their constant worry about the health and behavior of the addict, which can severely impact their lives,” he added.
Efforts were made to obtain statistics on drug addiction in Afghanistan from officials at the Ministry of Interior Affairs of the Islamic Emirate and to learn about the government programs to support families of addicts, but despite repeated follow-ups, this information could not be acquired.
According to United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) statistics, out of the three million drug addicts in Afghanistan, only 30,000 have access to treatment services. Medical centers also face severe shortages of medicine, food, and essential supplies.
