Environmental Disasters and the Escalation of Domestic Violence: Gendered Psychosocial Risk in Climate and Disaster Recovery

Environmental disasters intensify existing gender inequalities within the home, increasing the risk of domestic and intimate partner violence (IPV) during displacement and recovery. Drawing on international evidence, including systematic reviews and post-disaster case studies, this policy brief outlines that infrastructure failure, economic precarity and psychosocial stress act as structural risk multipliers within already unequal gender systems. Disaster recovery frameworks frequently prioritise physical reconstruction while overlooking domestic safety. Integrating domestic violence prevention into disaster preparedness and recovery governance is therefore essential. Resilience must be measured beyond rebuilt infrastructure and by whether homes remain safe under environmental strain.

Policy Recommendations

Mandate domestic violence risk assessment within local and national disaster preparedness and recovery planning frameworks.

Embed gender analysis within housing, compensation, insurance and reconstruction policies to mitigate post-disaster economic dependency risks.

Require confidential and accessible reporting pathways within evacuation centres and temporary accommodation settings.

Sustain and ring-fence funding for domestic violence and psychosocial support services throughout extended recovery periods.

Integrate domestic safety indicators into resilience measurement and climate adaptation evaluation frameworks.