Editing Natural disaster (section)

=== On women and vulnerable populations ===
Because of the social, political and cultural context of many places throughout the world, women are often disproportionately affected by disaster.<ref name="pmid21629495">{{cite journal |last1=Nour |first1=Nawal N |date=2011 |title=Maternal Health Considerations During Disaster Relief |journal=Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=22–27 |pmc=3100103 |pmid=21629495}}</ref> In the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, more women died than men, partly due to the fact that fewer women knew how to swim.<ref name="pmid21629495" /> During and after a natural disaster, women are at increased risk of being affected by [[gender based violence]] and are increasingly vulnerable to sexual violence. Disrupted police enforcement, lax regulations, and displacement all contribute to increased risk of gender based violence and sexual assault.<ref name="pmid21629495" />

In addition to [[LGBT people]] and [[immigrants]], women are also disproportionately victimized by religion-based [[scapegoating]] for natural disasters: fanatical religious leaders or adherents may claim that a [[deity|god or gods]] are angry with women's independent, freethinking behavior, such as dressing 'immodestly', having sex or abortions.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Lord |first=Leighann |date=1 October 2019 |title=The easiest way to respond to a natural disaster? Blame God or global warming |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2015/sep/01/easiest-way-respond-natural-disaster-blame-god-global-warming |url-status=live |access-date=28 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928143012/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2015/sep/01/easiest-way-respond-natural-disaster-blame-god-global-warming |archive-date=28 September 2019}}</ref> For example, [[Hindutva]] party [[Hindu Makkal Katchi]] and others blamed [[Entry of women to Sabarimala|women's struggle for the right to enter]] the [[Sabarimala]] temple for the August [[2018 Kerala floods]], purportedly inflicted by the angry god [[Ayyappan]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 August 2018 |title=Kerala flood blamed on women's entry into Sabarimala by Hindu Makkal Katchi |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/aug/15/kerala-flood-blamed-on-womens-entry-into-sabarimala-by-hindu-makkal-katchi-1858022.html |url-status=live |access-date=28 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928144328/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/aug/15/kerala-flood-blamed-on-womens-entry-into-sabarimala-by-hindu-makkal-katchi-1858022.html |archive-date=28 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |author=Asmita Nandy |date=20 August 2018 |title=Hate Mongers on Twitter Blamed Women, Beef, Muslims, Christians and Communism for Causing the Kerala Floods |work=[[The Quint]] |url=https://www.thequint.com/videos/kerala-floods-women-in-sabarimala-beef-muslims-christians |url-status=live |access-date=28 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928145554/https://www.thequint.com/videos/kerala-floods-women-in-sabarimala-beef-muslims-christians |archive-date=28 September 2019}}</ref>

During and after natural disasters, routine health behaviors become interrupted. In addition, health care systems may have broken down as a result of the disaster, further reducing access to contraceptives.<ref name="pmid21629495" /> Unprotected intercourse during this time can lead to increased rates of childbirth, unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).<ref name="pmid21629495" /><ref name="pmid21375788">{{cite journal |last1=Harville |first1=Emily |last2=Xiong |first2=Xu |last3=Buekens |first3=Pierre |date=November 2010 |title=Disasters and Perinatal Health: A Systematic Review |journal=Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey |volume=65 |issue=11 |pages=713–728 |doi=10.1097/OGX.0b013e31820eddbe |pmc=3472448 |pmid=21375788}}</ref>

Pregnant women are one of the groups disproportionately affected by natural disasters. Inadequate nutrition, little access to clean water, lack of health-care services and psychological stress in the aftermath of the disaster can lead to a significant increase in maternal morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, shortage of healthcare resources during this time can convert even routine obstetric complications into emergencies.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Meyers |first=Talya |date=23 December 2019 |title=Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to disasters. |work=Direct Relief |url=https://www.directrelief.org/2019/12/pregnant-women-are-particularly-vulnerable-to-disasters/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001050314/https://www.directrelief.org/2019/12/pregnant-women-are-particularly-vulnerable-to-disasters/ |archive-date=1 October 2020}}</ref>

Once a vulnerable population has experienced a disaster, the community can take many years to repair and that repair period can lead to further vulnerability. The disastrous consequences of natural disaster also affect the mental health of affected communities, often leading to post-traumatic symptoms. These increased emotional experiences can be supported through collective processing, leading to resilience and increased community engagement.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kieft |first1=J. |last2=Bendell |first2=J |year=2021 |title=The responsibility of communicating difficult truths about climate influenced societal disruption and collapse: an introduction to psychological research |url=https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/5950 |url-status=live |journal=Institute for Leadership and Sustainability (IFLAS) Occasional Papers |volume=7 |pages=1–39 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310074519/https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/5950/ |archive-date=2021-03-10 |access-date=2021-04-03}}</ref>