Climate change linked to increased violence against women

We often discuss the environmental and economic impacts of climate change, but rarely do we explore its social repercussions.

In a recent study, researchers have uncovered a chilling link between climate change and increased violence against women.

Intimate partner violence

The study sought to understand how various climate shocks, including storms, landslides and floods, might contribute to an escalation in intimate partner violence (IPV) in the two years following the event.

The team analyzed intimate partner violence data from thousands of surveys conducted across 156 countries over a span of 26 years. Intimate partner violence is defined as any physical and/or sexual violence within the past year.

The shocking conclusion? There is a significant correlation between certain climate shocks and increased instances of intimate partner violence.

Lack of consistent data

Interestingly, not all types of climate shocks showed a clear connection to IPV. For example, earthquakes and wildfires did not seem to have the same effect.

The reasons for these different impacts remain unclear. The research team suggested the possibility of varying timeframes for the impacts of different types of climate shocks on violence levels.

However, a lack of available data for a period longer than two years posed a challenge in investigating this theory.

The lack of consistent data prompted a strong recommendation from the researchers for more regular data collection concerning violence against women.

Climate shocks and increased violence

Study lead author Professor Jenevieve Mannell from UCL Institute for Global Health highlighted the urgency of the matter.

“Existing evidence has found that when a woman experiences a climate-related event, she is more likely to experience violence in some countries and for some types of violence, but not others,” said Professor Mannell.

“We set out to explore what was happening at a national level to help inform international climate change policy.”

The study, which was a collaborative effort with researchers from the University of Exeter, South African Medical Research Council, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also revealed that countries with a higher GDP showed lower rates of intimate partner violence.

More than just an environmental crisis

According to Professor Mannell, a cascade of triggers may be responsible for escalating violence in the aftermath of climate shocks.

Increased stress, food insecurity, overload of social services, and inadequate disaster relief shelters can all contribute to an environment where violence against women becomes more likely.

The frequency and severity of these events are heightened in countries with patriarchal gender norms, where violence against women is often normalized.

Climate change and women’s protection

Despite the grim findings, the researchers believe that appropriate climate mitigation and adaptation efforts can play a significant role in reducing violence against women.

They recommended including “violence against women” in the climate change commitments of countries and allocating finances to address it.

Samoa and Fiji are cited as examples, having already developed Climate Change Gender Action Plans.

The experts also suggested that the potential for increased violence against women should be considered in countries’ disaster planning processes.

Climate change is a human crisis

This research highlights the pressing need for a comprehensive approach to combat climate change – one that addresses its environmental, economic, societal, and now the emerging gendered impacts. It serves as a call for us to treat climate change not just as an environmental crisis but a human crisis.

Governments and international organizations must collaborate to ensure that climate adaptation and mitigation strategies are inclusive of gender-specific concerns.

Global initiatives such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasize gender equality and climate action, offer an ideal platform for integrating these findings into policy discussions.

By incorporating climate change’s gendered effects into disaster risk management, countries can better protect vulnerable populations from cascading risks such as food insecurity, economic instability, and intimate partner violence.

This is not just a call for immediate relief efforts but a long-term vision where gender-responsive climate policies become the norm. Addressing climate change and violence against women is critical to creating resilient, equitable societies.

The study is published in the journal PLOS Climate.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–