Gender-Based Violence and Layered Disasters: Place, Culture and Survival

Disasters and gender-based violence are closely connected, with evidence showing that the social, economic, and environmental impacts of disasters play out over time. This book investigates the causes of this relationship and highlights victim-survivors' accounts of gender-based violence and disasters. It conceptualizes the coincidence of gender-based violence, disasters, and other aggravating factors as 'layered disasters' and takes an intersectional approach to show the significance of gender-based violence in creating vulnerability to future disasters. The book concludes by exploring critiques of existing formal responses, which often ignore or underplay gender-based violence.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 164 pages
Publication date: 30 December 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The intricate and enduring connection between disasters and gender-based violence is explored in this groundbreaking book, drawing on extensive new research with victim-survivors to shed light on how these two forms of harm coalesce to create "layered disasters" in specific contexts, intensifying and perpetuating each other. The evidence is overwhelming that disasters and gender-based violence are inextricably linked, not just during times of crisis but also in the long-term aftermath as the social, economic, and environmental impacts of disasters unfold. This book addresses two critical gaps in the existing research. Firstly, it delves into the underlying factors that contribute to the widespread and persistent relationship between disasters and gender-based violence. Secondly, it highlights the personal accounts of victim-survivors, providing a profound understanding of the experiences and perspectives of those directly affected by these overlapping crises. Through a comprehensive review of global evidence on the COVID-19 pandemic and original research on cyclones and flooding in Bangladesh and the UK, the book offers a rich tapestry of insights. Drawing on feminist theories, it conceptualizes the convergence of gender-based violence, disasters, and other aggravating factors in specific places as "layered disasters." By adopting an intersectional approach that emphasizes the interconnectedness of culture, place, patriarchy, racism, poverty, settler-colonialism, environmental degradation, and climate change, the authors unveil the profound vulnerability created by gender-based violence in the face of future disasters. At the forefront of this exploration is the significance of trauma, and the book delves into the complex processes of survival and recovery experienced by those impacted. Understanding disasters as layered reveals the critical importance of addressing gender-based violence as a central component of disaster planning, management, and recovery efforts. The book concludes by critically examining critiques of existing frameworks and approaches, advocating for a more holistic and intersectional approach that recognizes the diverse and complex experiences of victim-survivors. This groundbreaking work contributes to our understanding of the complex dynamics between disasters and gender-based violence, paving the way for more effective responses and interventions to support those affected by these overlapping crises.

Weight: 326g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367545789