ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter explains the rationale and conceptual framing for the rest of the book. First, it summarises the evidence demonstrating the close relationship between disasters and gender-based violence in many parts of the world. Next, it begins to analyse why this relationship is so persistent, setting out our conceptual framework. The chapter introduces the key concepts used in this framework: layered disasters, disaster patriarchy, culture, place, trauma, survival and recovery. It also introduces the issues that GBV and disasters raise for disaster planning, management and recovery. Finally, the chapter outlines some of the methodological issues and challenges in research on this topic, laying the groundwork for our own studies which are reported in subsequent chapters.
