Even today you can die from your menstrual cycle
A young Nepalese girl of only 21 years of age died of her period. This tragic story reveals the cruelty of certain rituals and beliefs that still dominate the body of women today. The tragedy occurred in a rural area of Nepal, where temperatures drop very quickly and often approach zero degrees in winter. Even with rain, snow and cold wind, women are forced to sleep outdoors when they have their periods.
Considered unclean during this period, many women are forced to leave their homes according to ancient Hindu traditions and take refuge in dirty and unhealthy huts or stables until the end of their menstrual cycle. While married women usually only go away for a few days, others remain in solitary confinement for a whole week. In some areas of Nepal, even women who have just given birth have to spend up to a month in the hut built outside the home, known as "chhau goth". During menstruation, women must also stick to a restrictive diet and are not allowed to approach children, men, religious icons, or even livestock.
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These shelters, mostly doorless and unheated, are potentially fatal. Unable to bear the cold any longer, the girl, who died on January 8, tried to light a fire to keep herself warm. Unfortunately, she was found dead of asphyxiation.
Called "chhaupadi", this Hindu practice - particularly widespread in eastern Nepal but also in parts of India and Bangladesh - has already cost the lives of many women in recent years. In July 2017, an 18-year-old Nepali girl died. during his "menstrual exile" due to a snake bite. Other deaths have been attributed to attacks by wild animals, but the most common cause is smoke inhalation.
Last August, the Nepalese parliament passed a law that provides sanctions against the exercise of this ritual, officially prohibited since 2005. By law, anyone who applies this custom must face a three-month prison sentence and a $ 30 fine. . Unfortunately, the collective mentality often progresses slower than the law, so menstrual exile is still far from completely eradicated. Fortunately, progress has been made: some families have been persuaded to allow women to sleep in isolated rooms within the home, or at least to reduce the number of days spent outdoors.
