Amid Hurricane Chaos, Domestic Abuse Victims Risk Being Overlooked
Natural disasters like hurricanes Harvey and Irma can displace people and leave them scrambling to find stability and routine.
But during catastrophes, victims of domestic violence face a unique challenge: seeking safety from their abusers.
Most evacuees are seeking shelter but domestic violence survivors face a “double whammy” of escaping the danger of their abuser and finding safety from the looming disaster, said Ruth Glenn, the executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Disasters leave physical and social environments in disarray and are likely to increase any person’s or family’s vulnerability to violence, according to the World Health Organization. . .