SYDNEY, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Prolonged and severe droughts are linked to a significant increase in sexual violence against adolescent girls and young women in low- and middle-income countries, an international study led by Australian researchers has revealed.

The study, led by researchers from the Perth-based Curtin University and the Kids Research Institute Australia, published on Friday, found that those exposed to extreme droughts lasting eight to 43 months faced significantly higher odds of sexual violence.

The international team of researchers examined data from over 35,000 females aged 13 to 24 in 14 countries in Central and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe.

The study found that extreme drought increased the risk of sexual violence by 21 percent, with even shorter dry spells raising the risk. Sexual violence was defined as unwanted sexual contact and pressured sexual activity in the past year.

Researchers attribute the link to drought-driven economic hardship, food and water insecurity, and displacement, which can lead to early marriage, transactional sex, and increased vulnerability to violence as women and girls travel farther for water. Community resource scarcity and social disruption also heighten these risks.

The study, published in PLOS Global Public Health, urges gender-sensitive climate policies, warning that climate change will worsen droughts and intensify risks for young women.

The authors call for integrated interventions that address both environmental and social vulnerabilities to better protect those most at risk of gender-based violence. ■