Intimate partner violence and natural disasters

Risk factors for experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) and intimate partner homicide are complex, intersectional, and occur at all levels of the social-ecological model—individual, relationship, community, and societal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to understand natural disasters are a risk factor for IPV and what we can do to support our families, friends, and communities who may experience it.

Natural disastersopens in new window (e.g., tsunamis, hurricanes, wildfires, and pandemics like COVID-19) have become more intense and frequent in the last several decades, prompting the public and researchers alike to strive to understand their impact. Research shows that survivors of natural disasters are significantly more likely to experience physical and emotional IPV after the event. This research includes studies following the Deepwater Horizon oil spillopens in new window (in which the findings indicated that survivors of the disaster were more than twice as likely to experience IPV), Hurricane Katrinaopens in new window, the Haiti earthquakeopens in new window, and more recently, Hurricane Harveyopens in new window. Findings also indicate that women are significantly more at risk than men of experiencing IPV in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

There are significant disparities on the impact of natural disasters on individuals and communities at the intersections of marginalized identities. There is no better modern example than Hurricane Katrina which had the greatest impact in New Orleans, Louisiana. This disaster publicly showcased the inequalities experienced by the Black community due to racism. A recent study on the impact of Hurricane Harvey found that the most vulnerable survivors, for example, those who had been homeless prior to the hurricane, remained displaced one year after the disaster.

Altogether these findings suggest that natural disasters, including the current COVID-19 pandemicopens in new window, disproportionately impact marginalized communities and that the most severe challenges are for survivors who live at the intersection of oppressed identities. For example, survivors who are sexual and gender minorities, low-income, ethnically diverse, or who have disabilities will be hardest hit during this time.

For communities already experiencing food insecurity and poverty due to racism, classism, and other oppressive forces, the current pandemic will expose and heighten risks for experiencing IPV and make it harder for them to recover.

Action steps

• Remember to connect with your intuition and your survival strategies. Remind yourself of past distancing strategies you have used that may help you now. For example, keeping busy with the children to avoid interactions with your partner or staying busy with remote work to avoid conflict.
• For survivors from diverse cultural communities, use this time to reconnect with cultural practices that can bring you strength (e.g., setting up an altar, practicing rituals, cooking traditional meals, connecting with herbal remedies, connecting with others in the community).
• Natural disasters increase isolation. Remember, you are not alone. Organizations continue to provide services, such as online support, counseling services, resources, etc.
• Remember that if the violence escalates, it is not your fault. You do not control whether or not violence happens to you. Always have your phone on you so you can call 911 or send a message to an identified family member, friend, or neighbor for help.

Resources

• Consider these helpful steps if you are locked down with someone who chooses to use violence.opens in new window
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers information about how IPV survivors can stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemicopens in new window.
• Here is a list of state, national, teen-specific, and LGBT-specific organizationsopens in new window that you can turn to for help.

Action steps

• If you know of a family or community member who is experiencing violence during this time, you can be a significant support. Remember that the most successful strategies are community-driven so you can make a huge difference. Inform yourself about the dynamics of violence and resources that are available like the National Domestic Violence Hotlineopens in new window (1-800-799-7233).
• Connect with individuals in your own circles who live at the intersections of marginalized identities. You can check on them via text, WhatsApp, or social media. Virtual social connection is powerful.
• Educate yourself about oppression and how it infiltrates all aspects of social structures and impacts how people experience natural disasters. This will help you better understand how and why marginalized communities are disproportionately impacted by natural disasters and violence.

Resources

• Learn the warning signs to help you recognize intimate partner violence and how to helpopens in new window a friend or family member.
• To better understand racism and its impacts on marginalized communities, check out this extensive list of resourcesopens in new window.
• To better understand the intersection of natural disasters and racism, read this analysis of Hurricane Katrinaopens in new window and its link to environmental racism.

Action steps

• Understand the intersection of natural disasters, racism, and other forms of oppression.
• Understand the available information and data about natural disasters as a risk factor for IPV utilizing a disparity framework.
• Remember that organizations that have survived natural disasters have developed frameworks, research and healing strategies that can be adapted for the COVID-19 pandemic. Consider partnering with these community-based organizations (e.g., Coordinadora Paz Para La Mujeropens in new window, Puerto Rico’s State IPV Coalition).
• Engage in work to dismantle the various forms of oppression including and especially racism.
• Consider doing work that centers the experiences and needs of marginalized communities such as using community-based participatory research frameworks.
• If called to participate in community natural disaster planning, do so while centering an anti-oppressive framework.

Resources

• Read this book chapteropens in new window, which reviews five decades of natural disaster research in regards to race, class, and ethnicity.
• Visit APA’s COVID-19 hub for the latest information on the pandemic.
• This community-based participatory research toolboxopens in new window is helpful for researchers who are interested in learning about conducting this type of research in the field of gender-based violence.
• This journal articleopens in new window uses a Black feminism framework to understand natural disasters and disaster planning, which can be helpful for psychologists who are called upon to support communities.