Why Did Hurricane Katrina Hit Women So Hard - Essay Example

The woman thought that it would only be best if she gives away her baby in order for it to have improved chances of survival. It is still not known whether the mother and her child reunited or are still separated. From these stories, one thing beyond doubt is that the people who suffered most from the disaster are women and their children (Tarshis, 2011). Women in New Orleans formed 54% of the population. Women made up about 80% of the individuals left behind to take care of themselves after the storm.

More than one in five women residing in New Orleans and 15% of every family in New Orleans live below the poverty level compared to 14.5% countrywide. Single, mother-headed households form 56% of all families in New Orleans (Butterbaugh, 2005). Half of these families live below the poverty level. These classes of women were living on these limits even before the calamity struck. After the disaster, matters got much worse than they were before the disaster. In conclusion, women were the worst hit group by the hurricane.

It would have been only fair to consider them more in the relief programs since they deserve to be supported.