“The Hidden Link Between Climate Change and Gender-Based Violence: A Deep Dive into the Research”
Climate change is not just about rising temperatures and extreme weather events – it also has a profound impact on mental health and interpersonal relationships. A recent study conducted by researchers at Yale University sheds light on how climate change exacerbates gender-based violence and intimate partner violence.
According to Kaveh Khoshnood, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, climate change worsens mental health stressors, especially among populations facing displacement, food insecurity, and economic instability due to environmental shocks. The study, conducted at the Humanitarian Research Lab, investigates the impact of war, forced migration, and environmental shocks on health outcomes in vulnerable populations.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change recognizes climate change as a serious aggravator of gender-based violence, increasing the risk of domestic violence. Economic strain, displacement, social isolation, and psychological distress are all mechanisms through which climate change accelerates intimate partner violence incidents.
Recent data from the Emergency Events Database and other sources show that countries experiencing acute weather events such as cyclones, flooding, heat waves, and droughts have a higher prevalence of intimate partner violence. Extreme weather events have an immediate physiological effect on the body and can lead to heightened anxiety responses, impulsive actions, and increased violence.
A study led by Dr. Pooja Agrawal at the School of Medicine examined the interplay between climate change, food insecurity, and gender-based violence. Climate shocks strain food production and transportation infrastructure, impacting how vulnerable populations access food and livelihoods. This can lead to significant negative effects on societal dynamics, as seen in case studies from Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, and Ghana.
Researchers emphasize the urgent need for climate resilience strategies that incorporate gender-based violence prevention. However, concerns have been raised about the future of this research, as the Trump Administration recently moved to end the U.S. Agency for International Development, which collects crucial data on health and social factors like intimate partner violence.
Moving forward, researchers hope to explore regional differences in the impact of climate change on domestic violence and incorporate survivor narratives to better understand community-level risks. The study reinforces the importance of addressing climate change not just as an environmental issue, but as a public health and social justice issue that requires immediate attention and action.