Responding to Domestic Violence in the Wake of Disasters: Exploring the Workers’ Perceptions of the Effects of Cyclone Yasi on Women

Abstract

Recent international studies suggest that women are more vulnerable to domestic violence (DV) during and post natural and technological disasters. In Australia, a country that is regularly affected by extreme weather events, there have been very few studies into how DV manifests in the context of such events. In this second of three chapters, we report on a study into workers’ perceptions of women’s experiences of DV during Cyclone Yasi and also on the qualitative findings from a nationwide survey of service providers’ perspectives on DV and disasters. Findings were that reports of DV decreased prior to and during the cyclone but increased once it had passed; psychological abuse increased, particularly coercive control; women took opportunities to disclose DV to emergency responders; refugee and Aboriginal women were particularly vulnerable to DV and some women were able to leave violent partners as a result of opportunities provided by the disaster.