Disasters can cause upsurge of violence
At Taranaki Safe Families Trust, we feel for those who have been affected by the recent Christchurch fires.
Being from the South Island, it has been heart-breaking seeing so many of the communities I love affected so much by disaster in recent years; the Christchurch earthquakes, the Pike River mine disaster, the Kaikoura earthquake and now the fires.
Disasters can have a huge impact on those who are affected. Several studies showed violence becomes more frequent and severe following disasters. Another study showed that reporting of domestic violence increases following civil defence emergencies. This rise in violence can last up to a year after the disaster.
I think now is a timely reminder to those affected by tragedy that resorting to violence is never OK. As part of the emergency response, it’s vital to learn how recognise the signs of when family violence might be happening in your whanau, or neighbourhood, and address the problem early to prevent further devastation.
A victim of family violence may change noticeably in the way they look or act, begin to lack in confidence, or be fearful, nervous, angry or sad. You may notice that they seem to be isolating themselves and withdrawing from friends and whanau. This is a sign that their partner could be abusing them.
A perpetrator of abuse might use threatening looks, act controlling and be possessive towards their partner or children, or put-down or criticise their partner.
You may hear an argument in the house next door or across the street. Now is a time to think about how we can stop family violence in our communities. So in these situations you may ask yourself, what should I do?
It’s crucial to speak up about family violence when you know it is happening, before the situation has time to deteriorate further. While family violence is never OK, it is OK to get help or ask those affected by disaster, ‘‘are you OK’’. Seek help as early as possible, you don’t have to wait for a life-or-death situation before you reach out for support.
If your friends, whanau or neighbours have been affected by disaster, look out for them. Learn how to recognise signs of what family violence looks like at areyouok.org.nz.
If you know that violence is happening in your neighbourhood, contact the police.