Indian rural women’s suicide beliefs and experiences: female suicidality as escape from and protest against a life usurped of agency

Abstract Background Suicide remains a significant public health concern in India, with women from rural areas bearing a disproportionate burden that remains under-researched. This study aimed to explore beliefs about suicide and understandings related to suicidality among women living in rural Bihar. Method Using a qualitative narrative inquiry approach, four Focus Group Discussions were conducted across four villages in Bihar, India, where deaths by suicide among women had occurred during the previous two years. A total of 39 women aged 18–47 years participated who were purposively recruited from these communities. Six women (15.4%) reported a personal history of suicidal ideation. All participants had been exposed to suicide among women in their family or community, with 16 (41.0%) reporting exposure within their family and 23 (59.0%) reporting exposure within their village. Data were analysed using Riessman’s narrative framework. Findings Participants described suicide among women as a response to persistent perceived violations of women’s human rights within family and community settings. Narratives highlighted restrictions on personal autonomy and decision-making, emotional and physical abuse, marital and reproductive pressures, economic dependence, and the stigma and exclusion faced by widows. Women were often expected to endure suffering in silence, with limited opportunities to seek support or challenge their circumstances. Within these contexts, participants frequently interpreted suicidality as both an escape from intolerable distress and a form of protest against conditions that denied women agency, dignity, and recognition. Conclusion Suicidality among rural women in Bihar cannot be understood solely as an outcome of individual psychopathology. Rather, participants portrayed suicide as a culturally shaped response to enduring familial, social, and gender-based oppression. These findings suggest the need for community-based mental health support, gender-transformative interventions, and policy reforms that protect women’s rights, strengthen their social and economic resources, and expand opportunities for autonomy, safety, and well-being.