Joni Seager has an excellent piece, “Natural disasters expose gender divides” in today’s Chicago Tribune about the disproportionate impact of natural disasters on women. As Seager eloquently points out, the heavy burden suffered by by non-Whites, the poor and women is not mutuallly exclusive, they are in fact linked. Illustrating this point, 15% of families in New Orleans lived in poverty before Katrina, 41% of families headed by women in New Orleans lived in poverty. Other points raised by Seager include:
It is no surprise that the impact of Katrina is not gender-neutral, disasters seldom are. In the 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan, 1.5 times more of the dead were women, after last year’s Tsunami in Southeast Asia, 3-4 times more women than men died.
These disparities take place for many reasons including sexual differences (or perceived social perceptions of) strength.
Women are more likely to be caregivers who stop to gather children or to hold children in their arms, making it harder to swim/hang on.
Women are less likely to have drivers licences than men, let alone cars.
This knowlege seems to have been lost on government officials and the media who have barely covered the impact of the storm on women except for a few reports of rape that were not followed up in any kind of comprehensive way.
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Over the weekend I received this update on the status of services for victims of sexual abuse. After reading Ms. Seager’s article, it should be no surprise that you won’t see this story on the evening news, which has given some lip service to more sensationalized reports of rape but seems oblivious to the impact of the storm on at-risk women. Please see the address at the bottom for donations or you can also donate at www.louisianaraperelief.org.
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2005
BEATEN, SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, AND LIVING IN A HURRICANE EVACUATION SHELTER OR A MAKESHIFT TENT CITY . . .
KATRINA VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE STILL NEED YOUR HELP.
Fleeing for my life and my children’s safety two times in the same week is something I couldn’t even imagine until it happened to us last week.
When we went to the Red Cross Shelter, they were really nice to us, but I couldn’t get away from him . . . my husband. He watched me, followed me, and would pinch me very hard on my legs and upper arms when no one was looking. He blamed me for us being in the shelter and punched me in the stomach when I asked him what he meant.
I was humiliated. He (my boyfriend) forced me to have sex with him and this other man in the shelter. I was scared to tell anyone. What would happen to me and my children if I told?
YOUR HELP IS STILL NEEDED
RELIEF EFFORTS TARGET ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS
PLEASE DONATE
Louisiana Domestic Violence Victims Hurricane Relief Fund
The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV), a private 501c3, not-for-profit organization incorporated in 1982, is establishing a Louisiana Domestic Violence Victims Hurricane Relief Fund to assist victims of domestic violence and child victimization who are displaced and affected by Hurricane Katrina.
To date the relief fund has received about $60,000 in donations, but more is needed. The MS Foundation for Women donated $15,000. The National Network to End Domestic Violence donated $20,000. The Shelter Alliance donated $5,000 and the Tides Foundation has donated $2,500. LCADV has received numerous
donations from individuals throughout the US – from attorneys, doctors, authors, battered women, battered womens shelters, caring individuals, NOW members, domestic violence support groups, etc.
Offers for assistance have poured into our office and LCADV would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to each donor. BUT ADDITIONAL DONATIONS ARE NEEDED. PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD.
Four of our domestic violence shelters and two nonresidential programs are completely closed at the time and two or three may be completely destroyed. We have battered women and children who are trying to relocate to safety. Also we have received reports that women are being battered by their partners in the emergency shelters and they need our assistance, stated Merni Carter, Executive Director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She goes on to say, Sadly domestic violence and child victimization are social problems that do not stop during this natural disaster and with cessation of all direct services in the gulf coast region, a huge metropolitan area of over 1 million people, there is the increased need for relocation and basic monetary assistance is essential for these battered hurricane evacuees.
LCADV is accepting donations that are specifically earmarked to assist battered survivors and their children who have been directly affected/displaced by the hurricane. The donations will be used to assistbattered victims from the following parishes in Louisiana: Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines.
The donations will be used for the following purposes:
Relocation of domestic violence victims.
Purchasing of basic needs, i.e. baby formula, diapers, food, clothing, etc. that could not be met elsewhere.
Deposits on houses, electric bills,
Car repair, gas, public transportation
Medical/prescription needs,
Other basic, life sustaining needs
All donations go directly to victims of domestic violence affected by this hurricane and will not be used for any administrative or other purposes.
The website is www.lcadvhrf.org. Also learn more about LCADV by logging onto www.lcadv.org.
Other ways to make donations:
If you would like to make a donation using MasterCard or Visa, you may contact the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence office at 225-752-1296 with your credit card information. Donations may also be
electronically deposited into our account by faxing a voided check with the amount of the donation to (225)751-8927. LCADV will setup an electronic deposit and you will receive confirmation of your donation with
the tax-deductible receipt.
Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV)
LCADV, a private not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization, is a statewide network of battered women’s programs, other organizations, and individuals who share the goal of ending violence against women and children in Louisiana. The Coalition coordinates a statewide network of 20 community-based domestic violence programs. In addition to coordinating life-saving services throughout the state of Louisiana, LCADV focuses on public policy development, training and technical assistance, increasing
public awareness and education as related to domestic violence and child victimization. LCADV operates the Louisiana Domestic Violence Hotline.
Website: http://www.lcadv.org/
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