https://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/climate-change-giving-rise-to-sexual-violence/81894332.html
Excerpt: Prolonged droughts linked to rise in sexual violence against women in low-and middle-income countries, says study
New Delhi:
Extreme, prolonged droughts, sometimes lasting up to over three years, in low- and middle-income countries can worsen social vulnerabilities indirectly, increasing levels of sexual violence against girl teenagers and women, a study has found.
Researchers, including those from Curtin University, Australia, said the findings emphasise how climate change can have a negative impact on women who have to travel long distances for water, are sometimes forced to migrate for resources and are encouraged to marry early as a downstream effect.
The study, published in the journal PLOS Global Public Health, analysed survey responses of over 35,000 women, aged 13-24, from across 14 countries in south America, sub-saharan Africa and southeast Asia. Data for the ‘Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys’ was collected during 2013-2019.
(Study excerpt: The findings emphasise how climate change can exacerbate social vulnerabilities through its indirect effects, highlighting the need for comprehensive assessments of its impact on vulnerable populations.
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What do these findings mean?
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Exposure to extreme drought conditions may exacerbate risks of sexual violence against adolescent girls and young women, and gender-sensitive climate change adaptation policies are urgent.
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“The analysis revealed that exposure to prolonged and extreme drought, lasting 8-43 months in a 48-month period (four years), was associated with higher odds of sexual violence,” the authors wrote.
“Very dry periods are also associated with increased odds of experiencing sexual violence,” they said.
Evidence emerging from previous studies have suggested a relation between extreme weather events and an increase in domestic violence.
An October 2024 study, published in the journal PLOS Climate, analysed national level data of 156 countries and found that extreme weather events, such as storms, landslides and floods, can increase intimate partner violence over the two years following the events.
This study is the first to provide a population-level analysis specifically of sexual violence against young women and girl teenagers, the authors said.
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Again, and I really can’t stress this enough: Climate scammers think you’re stupid. pic.twitter.com/t5rxYcxnCJ
— Tom Nelson (@TomANelson) June 30, 2025
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