Saturday, August 28, 2010

Huricane Katrina and domestic violence

The effects of Hurricane Katrina on domestic violence victims cannot be understated. The lessons in general  continue to impact the United States. We have learned much about what to do and what not to do in disaster planning. The lessons apply as much to individuals as it does to the government.

With Hurricane Katrina and domestic violence it quickly became apparent that victims were forgotten when it came to disaster planning. As an organization we networked with another agency to bring relief supplies of water, food, toys, diapers and clothing to the office of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence in Baton Rouge. As we now know, this was only a drop in the bucket compared the ongoing needs of the region.

One of the things we've learned about Hurricane Katrina and domestic violence is that disaster planning needs to be part of a safety plan anytime there is a danger of natural disaster. We've also learned about what organizations can do to plan ahead.

The Empowerment Consulting Blog provides insight on how organizations can make better plans. Together we can all do a better job of preventing another Hurricane Katrina and domestic violence disaster. Sure, we can't stop a hurricane but we can stop abuse. Disaster planning may be a key component in doing so.

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