What we can learn about recovery: Lessons from the F ukushima survivors

Recovery from disaster can take a lifetime, and people looking in from outside might not appreciate the stages of recovery. Little talked about is the stigma, which might attach to the survivors of a disaster, especially if it is a man‐made disaster. This paper documents the account of a Japanese nursing student who visited the area 18 months after the Great East J apan earthquake and tsunami, talked to the people there, and shared her reflections. The experiences of the F ukushima survivors are linked to those of victims of other disasters, whose recovery was impeded by being discriminated against and stigmatized.