The Road Less Traveled: Family Violence in Rural Communities

This presentation will explore academic literature, family violence data, and victim accounts of family violence (Partner Abuse, Child Abuse, Elder Abuse, and Pet Abuse) occurring in rural communities. Key barriers to reporting abuse in isolated environments will be highlighted along with innovative concepts to improve prevention and detection of this abuse. Differences in reported characteristics of family violence perpetration between rural and urban environments will be described. Pregnant partner violence (PPV) and additional barriers to assistance often experienced by abused pregnant women in rural communities will be discussed.

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Participants will learn the importance of developing multidisciplinary response teams that include faith-based organizations, animal welfare agencies, school systems, libraries, and other key community agencies in efforts to improve detection and reporting of abuse in rural communities. Key lessons learned from examining efforts to reach victims of abuse isolated with a perpetrator during Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns will be discussed to improve efforts to protect at-risk and vulnerable populations residing in isolated environments.