How climate change may lead to an increase in violence against women

Friends of the Earth International asserts that climate change acts as a threat multiplier that increases violence against women by exacerbating poverty and resource scarcity, forcing women into dangerous areas to secure necessities, and targeting women who lead environmental defense movements.

• Climate change functions as a 'threat multiplier' that worsens conditions such as crop failure, flooding, lost livelihoods, food and water shortages, and infectious diseases, which in turn create social and political instability that puts women at higher risk of violence.
• Women's traditional domestic responsibilities—including securing food, water, and fuel—increase their vulnerability to violence as climate-induced scarcity forces them to travel further, often through remote or poorly-lit areas.
• Women who act as environmental defenders against dirty energy projects and climate change impacts face specific risks, including government persecution, corporate harassment, and anonymous threats.
• The document cites specific instances of violence and persecution against women environmentalists: Berta Cáceres in Honduras faced threats and detention for resisting a mega-dam, and women in Pungeşti, Romania, were violently arrested for protesting shale gas (fracking).

APA

admin (2014). How climate change may lead to an increase in violence against women. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/how-climate-change-may-lead-to-an-increase-in-violence-against-women/

Chicago

admin. How climate change may lead to an increase in violence against women. Friends of the Earth International, 2014. https://www.foei.org/how-climate-change-may-lead-to-an-increase-in-violence-against-women/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=admin |title=How climate change may lead to an increase in violence against women |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=25 November 2014 |url=https://www.foei.org/how-climate-change-may-lead-to-an-increase-in-violence-against-women/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{admin2014how, author = {admin}, title = {{How climate change may lead to an increase in violence against women}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2014}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/how-climate-change-may-lead-to-an-increase-in-violence-against-women/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }