Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Master of Arts

Program

Education

Supervisor

Jaffe, Peter

2nd Supervisor

Chiodo, Deborah

Co-Supervisor

Abstract

Through interviews with violence against women (VAW) workers (n=14), the present study examined workers’ perspectives of risk factors and the challenges in assessing risk for women experiencing domestic violence (DV) in rural locations. The present study also examined what promising practices VAW workers are utilizing when working with women experiencing DV in rural locations. Qualitative 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, qualitative analyses indicated several challenges for VAW workers 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 (i.e., complexity of issues) levels. 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 this population. However, participants outlined promising practices being implemented for rural locations such as interagency collaboration, education, growing awareness, and outreach programs. 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 rural locations.

Summary for Lay Audience

Interviews of violence against women (VAW) workers, were examined in the present study. The study explored their perspectives of risk factors and challenges in assessing risk for women experiencing domestic violence (DV) in rural locations. Results of the qualitative analysis identified several risk factors including the location which encompassed factors of geographic isolation, lack of transportation, and a lack of community resources, and cultural factors which encompassed factors of accepted and more available use of firearms, poverty, and no privacy/anonymity. Similarly, results of the qualitative analyses also indicated several challenges for VAW workers assessing risk. Results included barriers at systemic (i.e., lack of agreement between services), organizational (i.e., lack of collaboration and risk assessment being underutilized/valued), and individual (i.e., complexity of issues) levels.The findings of the present study support other research in the field that have identified both the increased vulnerability of women experiencing DV in rural locations and the added barriers and complexities in assessing risk for this population. Additionally the current study also examined what promising practices VAW workers felt they were currently utilizing for the vulnerable population of women experiencing DV in rural locations. VAW workers outlined current promising practices being implemented for rural locations as, interagency collaboration, education, growing awareness, and outreach programs. Therefore, the implications of these findings for future research and practice should include a further examination of the identified promising practices, a continued focus on collaborative approaches, and innovative ways to prevent and manage risk in rural locations.

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