Gendered Experiences of Disaster

There is very little information about who makes up the casualties of disasters, but some have suggested that women are 14 times more likely to die during an event in unequal societies. This is most likely due to socially-constructed roles that disadvantage women in disaster situations. In gendered constructions, men may be more likely to die if they are seen as protectors of the home while women and children are saved. Often, disaster risk reduction is targeted at men because of an emphasis on technical issues whereas post-event, women are the target of interventions. Sarah Bradshaw argues that it should be the other way around. There is an assumption that violence against women increases after an event, but she notes that disasters can actually bring positive change to some situations. 

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