Rural Battering and Social Policies (From Rural Woman Battering and the Justice System: An Ethnography, P 187-213, 1998 - See NCJ-170618)

• NCJ Number: 170625
• Author(s): N Websdale
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 27 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Sage Series on Violence Against Women

Annotation

Assessing personal experiences of rural battered women is a crucial prerequisite to developing a culturally-based understanding of interpersonal violence against rural women and the criminal justice system's response to that violence.

Abstract

Patriarchy regulates the options of rural battered women in Kentucky and elsewhere. Viable social policies that respond to the needs of rural battered women must recognize unique difficulties faced by rural women when they decide to leave battering relationships. These difficulties primarily relate to the impact of geographic and sociocultural isolation on rural women's ability to obtain needed services. Improvements are needed in law enforcement and judicial responses to rural woman battering and in the areas of health care, social services, legal representation, child welfare, child care, employment, rural communications, media coverage, and education. The author shows that rural battered women carve out opportunities to resist violence, despite difficulties, and that increasing the role of government in handling rural woman battering can serve the interests of battered women. In rural communities, shelters and their attendant outreach capabilities may be the logical focal point from which to coordinate the delivery of services to battered women. 14 notes