NCJ Number
219588
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 13 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2007 Pages: 700-716
Date Published
July 2007
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This exploratory analysis investigated the perceptions of domestic violence service providers in rural regions of North Carolina and Virginia.
Abstract
Findings regarding the most problematic issues indicated that deficits in public knowledge of domestic violence, a lack of agency resources, a lack of community resources, and a lack of professional development among service providers plagued rural domestic violence service providers and victims. Victims were perceived as having to endure multiple barriers to services, including patriarchal beliefs regarding gender roles and a lack of education regarding the dynamics of domestic violence. Victims also noted a lack of confidentiality and anonymity because of close kinship and community linkages as being a deterrent to help seeking behavior. The findings support previous assertions that victims of domestic violence in rural locales risk further victimization as a result of inadequacies in social and community services. Future research should continue to explore domestic violence service provisions in rural areas. Participants were 51 service provider personnel and 38 clients who were recruited via purposive sampling in rural localities that provided domestic violence services in North Carolina and Virginia. Participants completed mailed surveys regarding their beliefs and perceptions of service providers working with victims of domestic violence. Additionally, a focus group composed of domestic violence agency administrators for agencies in rural eastern North Carolina was convened to discuss information related to the provision of domestic violence services in rural localities. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and emerging theme analysis. Tables, references