Preventing Violence After a Natural Disaster
Natural disasters can cause a lot of stress on individuals, families, and communities. Stress can increase the risk for violence in the home, neighborhood, or community. Efforts to prevent violence after a natural disaster should focus on supporting the physical and emotional needs of individuals and families as well as restoring community-based services.
It is natural to feel stress and anxiety before, during, and after a disaster. Everyone reacts differently during an emergency. Taking care of emotional health is important during a disaster and will help with recovery.
Parenting is hard work and a natural disaster can make it even harder. Children are likely to experience stress during an emergency and may respond to disruptions to their routines with tantrums or other behavior problems. It is important during this time to provide emotional support to children, communicate clearly with them, and use discipline consistently. CDC’s Essential for Parenting offers tips and tutorials to help parents in these areas.
The following hotlines provide support and assistance for violence-related issues:
