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	Kerala's Women’s Commission Criticizes Convents Indian Catholic August 16, 2008 http://www.theindiancatholic.com/report.asp?nid=11072 KOCHI (ICNS): The head of Kerala’s Women Commission has publicly criticized convent life, saying it is a matter of “serious social concern” when a nun commits suicide unable to withstand harassment inside her own convent. Commission head D. Sreedevi, a former judge was speaking at a press conference after the commission members visited the house of a nun who committed suicide early this week in a convent in Kollam diocese. Sister Anoopa Mary, 23, was found hanging from the ceiling fan of convent on Aug.11. A suicide note said she took the extreme step unable to suffer mental harassment from convent superiors. Her father Pappachan later said the nun was also sexually harassed inside the convent. Sreedevi said if a nun, who “spent her days in prayers, had to face such harassment, then the situation is really bad". The fact that a nun in a convent was forced to commit suicide because of alleged harassment is a serious thing that demands serious concern of society, she told the press on Wednesday. She said the tragedy vindicates the commission's recommendation to the government to investigate nuns' conditions in convents. The commission faced criticism from the Catholic Church and Christian organizations in June when it made a series of recommendations concerning convent life. It had wanted legal step to secure the future of nuns who may leave the convent and government stipulate minimum age for girls to enter convent. But the suggestions were shelved because of protest. She told press the commission had received a large number of complaints and letters of grievance detailing the sufferings and harassment faced by nuns. The commission's recommendation to the government was an outcome of such complaints. She added that the commission was, based on the complaints, now studying the conditions and status of those in some convents. "Many of the complaints were anonymous, but those who had given their addresses would be called for personal hearings and their testimonies would be recorded. After verifying their authenticity, the commission would investigate the complaints."
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