Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Aug 18: Despite Goa’s liberal image, women in the state remain hesitant to seek treatment for alcoholism, with stigma, lack of awareness, and poor public transport emerging as major barriers. Health experts and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members say that while men access rehab programmes in large numbers, women alcoholics are suffering silently.

“Though we are a liberal state, women are reluctant to admit that they are alcoholics. They don’t seek treatment even for serious illnesses easily, so alcoholism is rarely acknowledged,” said Dr Shraddha Mulgaonkar Patil, a gynaecologist from Cortalim. She cited the case of young women from Sawantwadi and Vengurla working in Goa’s industrial belt, who start drinking casually but later struggle with infertility issues.

AA’s Goa chapter, which runs over 60 meetings across the state, sees very few women attendees. “If you step into any meeting room, you will see many men but rarely a woman. Men find it easier to access free recovery resources. Women are missing out,” noted Sister Rose Paite, trustee of AA Goa.

Mary (name changed), a recovering alcoholic from Betul, shared how she had to depend on her husband to attend AA meetings due to the lack of public transport. Aparna, AA North Goa’s public information chairperson, stressed, “Women alcoholics are dying without treatment or help. Awareness is required to break this gender divide.”

To bridge the gap, AA has launched an all-women’s support group and a 24x7 women’s helpline (7972247922), hoping more women will come forward to seek recovery.