Women tough it out in post-disaster situations

Women are known to bear the brunt of disasters. No sooner after a calamity hits does their workload increase significantly as their traditional role of being caregivers is stretched to accommodate the heightened needs of others. Yet all too often, the women’s own needs are overlooked, leading them to suffer at the very least high levels of stress. More worrisome though is how such neglect has put women more at risk of being subjected to domestic violence and sexual harassment, an increased incidence of which has been observed in some of the disaster-hit areas. Yet despite their added burdens and increased vulnerability, women appear more aggressive than men in ensuring their families’ survival. Right after the disaster and even beyond the rehabilitation phase, women willingly take on even the most challenging of tasks just so their families would be able to eat for the day.