Climate change has been shown to increase violence against women, with some disasters posing a more significant threat than others, according to a recent study. Researchers have found that extreme weather events such as storms, flooding, and landslides, which are intensifying due to global warming, have a strong link to abuse and aggression against women in romantic relationships. Additionally, heat and humidity were identified as factors that can escalate aggressive behavior and violence.
However, the study did not establish a clear connection between earthquakes and wildfires and gender-based violence. University College London Professor Jenevieve Mannell, who led the research, stated that existing evidence suggests that women are more likely to experience violence following climate-related events in certain countries and for specific types of violence, but not across the board.
Examples from around the world further highlight the correlation between climate-driven disasters and violence against women. In Kenya, women reported being forced out of their homes by men due to frustration caused by severe drought conditions leading to poverty. Similarly, a study in Spain revealed an increase in murder and intimate partner violence against women just days after a heatwave. The United Nations also noted that in Peru, women are at heightened risk of sexual violence as they travel further to find water during water scarcity events.
Researchers emphasised that climate-related disasters elevate stress and food insecurity within families, factors that can contribute to increased violence. These disasters also tend to divert attention and resources away from addressing partner violence, with social services being focused on disaster response instead. The study analysed data from 156 countries between 1993 and 2019, comparing it with disaster-related data from 1920 to 2022 across 190 countries. It found that intimate partner violence is more prevalent in countries where violence against women is more widely tolerated, and wealthier nations generally have lower rates of intimate partner violence than poorer countries.
While the specific causal link between extreme weather events and violence remains unclear, researchers believe that time may play a role in shaping these patterns. This study underscores the urgent need to address the intersection of climate change and gender-based violence to protect the most vulnerable populations in the face of environmental disasters.