As a result of the hurricane, all direct services for survivors of domestic violence in the Gulf Coast region were suspended. Several women’s shelters were completely destroyed, and others were forced to evacuate. Thousands of women and children who were in those shelters now require urgent assistance. And many more women now face an increased threat of rape and battering.

The LCADV reports that many women are afraid to register with the Red Cross for fear that their batterers will use the registry to find them. And the LCADV has received reports that women are being battered by their partners in the emergency shelters set up since the hurricane.

MADRE Executive Director Vivian Stromberg commented: “Violence against women tends to surge in the wake of disasters, as abusers react to their own trauma with violence and struggle to reassert control in the face of chaos and loss.  We are seeing this happen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  That’s why MADRE is supporting the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, an organization that is rooted in the communities directly affected by the hurricane.”

The LCADV is using the funds it raises to relocate domestic violence survivors displaced by the hurricane; purchase basic necessities, such as baby formula, food, diapers, and clothing; pay for medical treatment and prescription medications; and pay for car repairs, gas, and public transportation to bring women and their children to safe housing in other communities.

Donate to the MADRE/LCADV Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund

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