Original Article Intimate Partner Violence and Disasters: A Framework for Empowering Women Experiencing Violence in Disaster Settings Jennifer M. First 1 , Nathan L. First 1 and J. Brian Houston 1 Abstract Disasters, both natural and human-caused, can generate significant stressors for individuals, families, and communities, and research has documented an increase in the prevalence and severity of violence against women following these events. This article reviews research documenting the prevalence and severity of violence against women in disaster settings and provides a framework for intimate partner violence professionals to cultivate resources and capacities that promote women’s safety and well-being before, during, and after a disaster. Framework objectives include increasing awareness and capacity to respond, promoting safety planning, ensuring basic needs are met, pro- viding comfort and support, connecting to long-term services, and promoting psychosocial recovery. Keywords women, disasters, intimate partner violence, social work Between 2005 and 2015, approximately 1.7 billion people have been affected by disasters world- wide, resulting in $1.4 trillion damages and 7 million deaths (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2016). Disasters include natural (e.g., hurricane, tornado, earthquake) or human- caused events (e.g., chemical spill, mass shooting) that affect individuals, families, and commu- nities. Disasters may cause significant emotional trauma and stress, can injure or kill individuals, may disrupt social support systems, and can threaten basic human needs such as access to food, water, and housing (Becker-Blease, Turner, & Finkelhor, 2010). Between 2010 and 2015, there were 720 U.S. disaster declarations in which a state or tribal government requested and received federal aid due to the severity and magnitude of the event (Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], 2016a). 1 University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA Corresponding Author: Jennifer M. First, University of Missouri, 206 Switzler Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. Email: firstj@missouri.edu Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work 2017, Vol. 32(3) 390-403 ª The Author(s) 2017 Reprints and permission: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0886109917706338 journals.sagepub.com/home/aff