NCJ Number
237825
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 26 Issue: 3 Dated: 2011 Pages: 364-376
Date Published
2011
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study explored whether the rates of female victimization and interpersonal violence increased following the May 12, 2008, earthquake in Sichuan, China.
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of the earthquake that occurred on May 12, 2008 in Sichuan, China on stressed families already experiencing domestic violence. The authors hypothesized that cumulative post-disaster stress would increase marital aggression and that the well-being of victims would deteriorate following the quake. A total of 186 women were recruited for this study. Results show that all types of family violence, including psychological aggression and physical violence between partners, increased after the earthquake. The authors provided preliminary evidence that psychological aggression was significantly associated with the detrimental effects on victims' mental and physical functioning. The findings support the need for violence assessment among victims of earthquakes, and the authors recommend that violence prevention be considered as part of the intervention during such natural disasters. (Published Abstract)