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On January 12, 2009 disaster struck Haiti when an earthquake measuring a 7.0 on the Richter scale struck near the capital city of Port-Au-Prince.

While the death toll may reach 200,000 people, efforts are now beginning to turn to the survivors of the quake. Thousands are in need of food, water, shelter, clothing and medical care. When disaster strikes, the aftermath is greater than the visible architectural and economic destruction. Tangible relief such as food and water purification tablets are important, however relief in the form of access to resources must also not be forgotten.

Studies have shown that in the aftermath of disaster, incidents of domestic violence become more prevalent. Various factors are responsible for this increase. In times of economic hardship and family stress, women are more likely to be abused. When disaster strikes families lose everything. This often causes women to become more dependent on their abusers or in some cases causes a return to dependency. Also because of the destruction disaster causes, resources for abused women are few and far between. This includes access to shelters and medical care, as well as access to law enforcement officials. A study done at the University of British Columbia found that programs to help abused women experience an increase in demand for services sometimes up to a full year following the disastrous event.

The effects of the recent earthquake in Haiti are proving to be especially difficult for both victims of abuse and victims of the disaster itself. Though numerous monetary and tangible donations have been made to Haiti, the lack of infrastructure in the country only has proved to make relief efforts more difficult.

Prior to the quake, Haiti’s infrastructure was suffering. The Army Corps of Engineers say that the top five infrastructure repairs that need to be made in Haiti in order to help relief efforts are to repair and restructure the port, the airfield, the electrical grid, the road system, and the water system. Gordon Duguid with the U.S. State Department said that rebuilding Haiti will take years.

What does this mean for victims of domestic violence in Haiti? Because resources are running low and basic needs are of the utmost concern, a special effort must be made to help victims of domestic violence. Whether it is granting temporary asylum for Haitian women in stable countries, or making the construction of shelters in Haiti a priority, efforts to address the violence that will ensue must be an issue of concern. As Haiti’s infrastructure is reshaped, resources for abused women must be prioritized, whether it is in Haiti or temporarily in another country.

This posting is part of a series by passionate allies in the cause. The author is Sara Aucker, a 2010 intern with Becky's Fund.