Challenges in Risk Assessment with Rural Domestic Violence Victims: Implications for Practice

Abstract

Through interviews the present study examined the perspectives of service providers ( n = 14) in the violence against women (VAW) sector regarding risk factors and challenges in assessing risk for women experiencing domestic violence (DV) in rural locations. The present study also examined what promising practices VAW service providers are utilizing when working with women experiencing DV in rural locations. Interviews were coded and analyzed in a qualitative analysis computer program. Analysis indicated several risk factors including the location (i.e., geographic isolation, lack of transportation, and lack of community resources) and cultural factors (i.e., accepted and more available use of firearms, poverty, and no privacy/anonymity). Moreover, analyses indicated several challenges for VAW service providers assessing risk including barriers at the systemic (i.e., lack of agreement between services), organizational (i.e., lack of collaboration and risk assessment being underutilized/valued), and individual client (i.e., complexity of issues) level. However, participants outlined promising practices being implemented for rural locations such as interagency collaboration, public education, professional education, and outreach programs. The findings support other research in the field that highlight the increased vulnerability of women experiencing DV in rural locations and the added barriers and complexities in assessing risk for rural populations. Implications for future research and practice include further examination of the identified promising practices, a continued focus on collaborative approaches and innovative ways to prevent and manage risk in a rural context.

Investigating public awareness, prevailing attitudes and perceptions towards domestic violence and abuse in the United Kingdom: a qualitative study

“…Consistent with our findings, a recent study of DVA victims in rural communities in Southern Ontario recommended outreach programs and campaigns in supporting public and professional education [25]. Another study conducted on Chinese university students suggested that education plays a powerful factor in influencing perceptions and attitudes concerning DVA compared to factors such as gender, residence and age [26].…”

“Abusers are Using COVID to Enhance Abuse”: Domestic Abuse Helpline Workers’ Perspectives on the Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on those Living with Domestic Abuse

“…For example, staff saw virtual support as removing barriers to engagement for those who were restricted by childcare commitments or travel. Indeed, prior research has emphasised geographical isolation and transportation limitations as a prominent barrier to accessing traditional support for victims in more rural areas ( Youngson et al, 2021 ) and as such, the increased provision of remote services may have in fact proved beneficial in such cases. For those who did engage with the remote services on offer during lockdown, callers expressed that online engagement offered some relief from feelings of isolation and loneliness during lockdown and afforded them more opportunities to seek support without detection while their abuser was in the home (which made speaking on the phone more difficult).…”

“…Indeed, prior research has emphasised geographical isolation and transportation limitations as a prominent barrier to accessing traditional support for those experiencing DA in more rural areas (Youngson et al, 2021) and as such, the increased provision of remote services may have in fact proved beneficial in such cases. For those who did engage with the remote services on offer during lockdown, callers expressed that online activities, such as group therapy sessions, offered some relief from feelings of isolation and loneliness during lockdown.…”

Conceptualising the separation from an abusive partner as a multifactorial, non-linear, dynamic process: A parallel with Newton’s laws of motion

“…When considering the possibility of staying, leaving or returning, victims engage in risk assessment and safety planning to predict possible dangers linked to their decisions ( Connor-Smith et al, 2011 ; Gonzalez-Mendez and Santana-Hernandez, 2014 ; Wood et al, 2021a ). These processes are usually mediated by formal services ( Stanley and Humphreys, 2014 ; Robinson et al, 2018 ; Youngson et al, 2021 ), but there is increasing evidence that survivors independently engage in risk assessment and safety planning, even before seeking support against DA ( Martin et al, 2000 ; Macy et al, 2005 ; Connor-Smith et al, 2011 ; Wood et al, 2021b ). This suggests that survivors’ stay/leave/return decisions are based on an evaluation of the risks they would face, although there seems to be no consensus on the accuracy of their risk assessment.…”