The massive earthquake in Chile is yet another reminder of the power of nature. As much as we like to think we are in control, the reality is that we are merely riding on this planet. We don’t control when, where, or how strongly Mother Nature reminds us of who is really in charge. What we can do is prepare for the possibility of disaster, and help those who have been affected by disaster recover.
The latest news reports estimate that more than 700 people have died, as many as 2 million people have been displaced from their homes, and countless numbers are still missing. We do have a Soroptimist club in Santiago, and we have reached out to the members there to ensure they are safe. The lack of working phone lines and internet connections has made that a challenge, but I received word last night that past Governor Silvia Fernandez and her family are fine. Thankfully, Santiago appears to have experienced less devastation than other parts of Chile.
As we continue to watch the news for updates from Chile, let us not forget that in spite of the best efforts of relief agencies, this disaster (like other natural disasters) will continue affect women and girls more profoundly. Here’s an excerpt from “Women in the Wake of the Storm” a research report funded by Soroptimist and prepared by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
For those who survive, life after disaster proves more difficult for women as well. In the immediate chaos that often ensues after a disaster, women’s safety and security is particularly at risk. Rape, gang rape, and other physical violence are common occurrences (Enarson, 1998; World Health Organization, 2002)….We also know that women’s vulnerability to sexual assault grows when living in refugee camps or non-gender segregated shelter situations. In some cases women are forced to exchange sex for food, shelter or protection as a means of survival….
Once the immediate crisis has abated, survivors are left to pick up the pieces and start their lives over. With this comes a whole new series of challenges. The need to procure housing, food, water, and a new source of income compounds an already stressful situation….This overwhelming level of stress is thought to contribute to the increased occurrences of domestic violence that typically take place in the recovery period.
Due to housing scarcity, women are often unable to escape abusive situations. In other instances, those who may have left known abusers before a disaster, find that they must return afterwards for lack of other housing options. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that post-disaster aid typically is distributed on a head-of-household basis, and thus is nearly universally accessed by men (Chew and Ramdas, 2005; Enarson, 2006; Tutnjevic, 2003).
We will communicate the availability of Soroptimist Disaster Recovery grants to our members in Chile and encourage them to assess how best to support the recovery needs of women and girls there. Online donations to the Soroptimist Disaster Recovery Fund can be made through our website at www.soroptimist.org