Prolonged Droughts Tied to Rising Sexual Violence Against Women in Poor Nations: Study

By a Staff Reporter: A recent study has revealed a troubling link between prolonged droughts and a rise in sexual violence against adolescent girls and young women in low- and middle-income countries. The findings, published in PLOS Global Public Health, highlight the broader social fallout of climate change in vulnerable regions.

Researchers from Curtin University in Australia, along with international collaborators, analyzed survey data from over 35,000 women aged 13 to 24 across 14 countries in South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. The data, collected between 2013 and 2019 as part of the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys, revealed that exposure to extreme and extended droughts — lasting between 8 to 43 months within a four-year period — significantly increased the likelihood of sexual violence.

“These prolonged dry spells exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, especially in rural communities where access to water and resources is already scarce,” the researchers noted. “Girls and women may be forced to walk long distances for water, migrate for survival, or enter early marriages — all factors that raise their risk of experiencing sexual violence.”

While previous studies have linked extreme weather events with domestic violence — including a 2024 PLOS Climate study that found increased intimate partner violence in 156 countries following storms, landslides, and floods — this is the first research to focus specifically on population-level trends in sexual violence against young women and girls related to drought.

The researchers emphasized that the impact goes beyond intimate relationships. Citing qualitative studies in Indonesia and Peru, they found that women themselves identified the hardships stemming from water insecurity as a form of violence — affecting not only physical safety but also sexual and reproductive health.

“Drought doesn't just dry up rivers and crops — it dries up safety, stability, and autonomy for millions of women,” the authors wrote. “This study underscores the urgent need for policy frameworks that address both the environmental and deeply human consequences of climate change.”

The findings call for integrated approaches that combine climate resilience with protections against gender-based violence, particularly in rural and resource-deprived regions.

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