Japan. First came the earthquake, then the tsunami, then the nuclear plant explosion and then the snow.
Currently there is wide-spread fear of the long term effects of radiation. There are however other longer term challenges that countries’ with natural disasters often come face to face with. One of these is the dramatic increase in the vulnerability of people. Often with natural disasters we witness the rise in an unequal opportunity for safe environments, limited risk awareness, and education. The horrors brought on by something like a major earthquake or tsunami can also severely reduce a person’s coping capacity. Furthermore, as was the case with the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, thousands of people can die in a very short space of time. Estimates suggest between 227,000 to 280,000 deaths occurred in the 2004 tsunami. We are yet to have final estimates of those who have died in Japan over the past week.
What we need to remember however is that these deaths can and do represent a household’s main income earner. The loss of an income source can place particular vulnerability on dependents to feed themselves and obtain other much-needed amenities. A potential consequence of this is that some people feel the only way they can support themselves is through things such as sex work. As worldwide cases show, sex workers are one of the major risk groups when it comes to the contraction of HIV.
This is not to say that Japan is currently faced with this particular issue as a core dilemma, but it is important to note the pattern of social consequences that can occur from the result of such natural disasters.
Currently there is wide-spread fear of the long term effects of radiation. There are however other longer term challenges that countries’ with natural disasters often come face to face with. One of these is the dramatic increase in the vulnerability of people. Often with natural disasters we witness the rise in an unequal opportunity for safe environments, limited risk awareness, and education. The horrors brought on by something like a major earthquake or tsunami can also severely reduce a person’s coping capacity. Furthermore, as was the case with the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, thousands of people can die in a very short space of time. Estimates suggest between 227,000 to 280,000 deaths occurred in the 2004 tsunami. We are yet to have final estimates of those who have died in Japan over the past week.
What we need to remember however is that these deaths can and do represent a household’s main income earner. The loss of an income source can place particular vulnerability on dependents to feed themselves and obtain other much-needed amenities. A potential consequence of this is that some people feel the only way they can support themselves is through things such as sex work. As worldwide cases show, sex workers are one of the major risk groups when it comes to the contraction of HIV.
This is not to say that Japan is currently faced with this particular issue as a core dilemma, but it is important to note the pattern of social consequences that can occur from the result of such natural disasters.
There is of course a solution to this. It is the same solution to all social problems in the world: cooperation and mutual support. Whether people be next door neighbours, neighbouring countries or continents, cooperation and mutual support helps redevelop a communities infrastructure so that people do not become vulnerable to societal problems.
Latest HIV and AIDS estimates on Japan (2009, UNAIDS)
Number of people living with HIV = 8,100 [6,300 - 10,000]
Adults aged 15 to 49 prevalence rate = <0.1% [<0.1% - <0.1%]
Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV = 8,100 [6,300 - 10,000]
Women aged 15 and up living with HIV = 2,700 [2,100 - 3,400]
Another facet of Shock Doctrine?
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