Kevin Blanchard - Environmental Policy Advisor

Gendering Risk and Risk Management

16 May 2012 – 6pm to 8pm, Pyramid Room, Dept of Geography, King’s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS

The aim of this seminar is to ignite debate on the broader subject of the impact of gender on risk studies.  Despite assumptions to the contrary, risk perception in relation to natural disasters is varied and highlights some interesting ways risk communication can be adapted to ensure that gender is actively considered when creating emergency plans etc.  There is a lack of gendered focus emergency planners and government currently give to flood risk reduction.  This event will look primarily at disaster risk reduction techniques, risk communication strategies and emergency management from a gendered perspective.

The seminar will be chaired by Dr Kate Maclean, King’s College London, who will also act as discussant.  The speakers are:

Dr Maureen Fordham, Enterprise Fellow Principal Lecturer in Disaster Management, Northumbria University

After receiving my PhD in 1992, I remained at Middlesex University Flood Hazard Research Centre where I became the Centre Manager. In 1995 I went to Anglia Ruskin University where my last post was as Head of Geography.   I have 20 years experience of delivering training on various aspects of disaster and environmental management.  I am committed to disseminating research-based knowledge to wider audiences and as part of that role I have designed and manage a number of websites. I am a founder member (1997) and coordinator of the Gender and Disaster Network (www.gdnonline.org). I am the co-founder and co-editor (with Ben Wisner) of the disaster website Radix – Radical Interpretations of Disaster (www.radixonline.org), which was stimulated by concerns following the 2001 earthquakes in El Salvador and Gujarat.

Andrew Pearlman, Specialist, Disaster Risk Reduction seeking work within DRM, Climate Change and Programme Management in Africa and Asia

I am a Specialist in International Project Management for Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Climate Adaptation.  Having worked in multiple contexts I have a comprehensive understanding of preparedness and resilience issues within the humanitarian sector and extensive programme management and field experience working with national government, the UN and INGOs. My work has also covered livelihoods, strategy development, training and youth engagement.

My focus has always been on those who have been most marginalised and neglected within development and humanitarian contexts and I believe passionately in a participatory approaches and the importance of humanitarian accountability.

Kevin Blanchard, Environmental Policy Advisor

I am currently working for the Department of Energy and Climate Change on the emissions trading system currently being implemented by the European Union.  My dissertation on flooding, risk perception and gender carried out for my Masters in Environment, Politics and Globalisation at King’s College London has acted as a catalyst for me developing this series of seminars.

(Source: )

Location, Crime and Risk Perception

Location also factored heavily in the risk perception of both male and female respondents. Generally, residents within Mitcham had a higher level of risk perception than those within the Richmond upon Thames area. This result collaborates with findings by Jackson (2006) which highlight studies that have found that risk perception is more pronounced in areas that have a higher crime rate and as a result have higher levels of socio-economic inequality. When looking at the target areas for this study, the Metropolitan Police (2011) state that there were 14,635 crimes in Merton (the London Borough where Mitcham is located) in the year between June 2009 and June 2010. In Richmond, that total was 11,464 (Met Police, 2011).

This relationship between crime rates and risk perception is also clearly shown in responses to questions within the survey that ask for individuals own thoughts on flooding and the risks associated with it. One respondent made a specific point that whilst they viewed the risk of the floods affecting themselves as low, the risk of burglary / assault caused by their property being empty or vulnerable as a result was “…much more worrying that the flood itself” (Respondent D, Mitcham, Aged 41-50). This respondent went on to explain that these views had arisen due to watching the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the antisocial behaviour that followed. This fear of crime and its association to increased or heightened risk perception could also partially explain the higher fear amongst women than men in the two study areas chosen. In his paper on fear of crime and risk perception Jackson (2006) argues that women tend to associate crime with a sexual or violent attack, where as men normally associate fear of crime either through muggings or burglary. The types of crime feared also have an impact on the elderly and vulnerable in society and this may go some way to explaining the increased risk perception amongst elderly females.

Despite these clear correlations between instances of crime and increased risk perception there is nothing in the literature or guidelines provided by central and local government that details how to go about protecting your house if you are forced to evacuate due to flooding. This short sightedness on risk manager’s part may go some way to explaining why getting all members of society to evacuate. Whilst in a different country with a separate set of societal issues to consider, this lack of proactive advice may have contributed to the high numbers of people to remain in their properties during Hurricane Katrina, despite federal and state government warnings to the contrary.

I am currently in the process of applying to be a member of this organisation and stumbled across the following event that some of you may find interesting / useful:

http://www.ciwem.org/media/412784/coastal_flooding_and_erosion_risk_management_20102011.doc

Happening on the 20th October in Central London, it is a must-attend for any interested in flood risk management.

I will be there.  :D

I have recently been adjusting my dissertation abstract ready for submission to a few conferences over the next year.  I thought I would post a copy here so that all readers will know what I have been working on for the past 5 months or so…

“This article presents quantitative and qualitative data that examines the assumption that men and women view risk differently and aims to explore how those differences may impact on risks associated with flooding in England and Wales.  Through questionnaires, interviews and secondary data analysis, this article argues that whilst gender differences in risk perception do exist, those differences are not as general as is often assumed.  Assumptions often include men being more technically knowledgeable and more interested in the financial impact of flooding, where assumptions on female risk perception often argue that a ‘maternal’ nature will increase risk perception on areas such as family and friends, family possessions and the community as a whole.  The research carried out for this paper suggests that men primarily view flooding as a passive event and one that is unlikely to happen to them or within the foreseeable future.  Women however have a much lower risk tolerance than men and actually tend to over state the risks related to flooding within their own geographical location, despite having a higher level of knowledge regarding flood risks and mitigation techniques.  These finding will be particularly interesting to those within the risk communication industry and those who deal with disaster preparedness strategies within central and local government.”